morning with us. we'll be back again at 7:25. you'll see us again at 11:00. >> and we'll update you throughout the day with updates every 30 minuteer lsva intervals throughout the "today show." keep it warm. we'll see you a little later. good morning. breaking news. former penn state assistant coach jerry sandusky waives his right to a preliminary hearing and tells reporters he's not giving up. >> stay the course. wait for the opportunity to present our side. >> what was behind the decision? and what happens next? we're live at the courthouse. on the attack. gop front newt gingrich and mitt romney take the gloves off with the iowa caucuses three weeks

away. and thousands of youth. would you like to live for hundreds or thousands of years? the breakthroughs that could be on the horizon today. tuesday, december 13th, 2011. welcome to "today" on this tuesday morning. i'm ann curry. >> and i'm matt lauer. want to take you for a live look at courthouse where jerry sandusky was supposed to be hearing directly from his accusers in court for the first time. instead, his attorney is answering questions from reporters outside. >> that's right, matt. as we just mentioned, just as the hearing was getting underway, he waived his right to have it.

the case is moving closer to trial with his next court appearance on january 11th. we'll get a live report from the court and talk about what happened this morning with our legal team. >> also ahead, lauren skrugs was nearly killed when she walked into a plane's i spinning propeller. her recovery has taken another encouraging turn. we're going to hear from our her father coming up. and we have a wealth of topics to discuss. everything from quarterback tim tebow wearing his religion on his sleeve to a new survey on what people are willing to do to lose weight. you might be surprised by what most of us would not give up. . >> let's begin with the surprising development in what was supposed to be a very big day in court for jerry sandusky. michael is outside the courthouse. >> reporter: good morning, matt

. it was quite a scene in the courtroom. we thought we were minutes away of hearing from the alleged victims of jerry sandusky tell their story for the first time in public when his defense lawyer and said he had something to say to the judge. before we knew it, the hearing was over. >> we'll wait for the opportunity to present our side. >> reporter: it's another bomb shell in the penn state sex abuse scandal. >> he's waived his right to a preliminary hearing. >> reporter: attorneys surprised the packed courtroom by tell lging a judge that the coach would rather move on to a trial. the announcement took the court by surprise causing people to erupt in laughter and applause. now he won't have to face the young men until he's arraigned on january 11th. in the meantime, sandusky will remain on house arrest with

electric monitoring and is to have no contact with minors. before this morning's hearing, sandusky's lead attorney repe repeatedly told nbc news he would not waive the pretrial hearing seeing it as another opportunity to show his innocen innocence. 11 unnamed witnesses were ready to testify, said prosecutors. now they will have to wait another month for their day in court. attorney for victim one said that could all be avoided. >> if a plea deal is struck in such a day that citizen is served, and we all view whatever the sentence is as a fair sentence, then i believe that would be optimal. >> reporter: matt, sandusky's attorney said this was a tactical maneuver on his part after he learned he would have limited leeway to question the credibility of the witnesses.

he decided it would be better for sandusky to put this off and avoid having all that testimony come out. as for the speculation about a plea deal, which was in the minutes after the hearing was postponed, he addressed that directly and said there will be no negotiations. jerry sandusky intends to fight for his innocence. this is the fight of his life. he said the game of his life. it's a fight to the death. so that's pretty strong words from sandusky's attorney showing that sandusky plans to mount a vigorous defense. no plea negotiations on the horizon at the moment. >> just briefly. describe the scene again for me. so he gets up in court. what was the reaction among the other participants? >> reporter: well, i think that the prosecutors knew this was coming. he told us he informed the prosecution last night of this. but they have to go through this because up until the moment that

the hearing began, jerry sandusky could have changed his mind and insisted that the hearing continue. so they had to go through this, even though they knew this was what was going to happen. for the spectators in the courtroom, total shock. there was some laughter. some applause. most people were stunned. >> okay. thank you, michael. now with more, here's ann. >> savannah guthrie joins us. good morning to both of you. why did the defense attorney wait until this morning to make this announcement. >> i think it was strategic. also the judge did agree to give over the discovery at this point. not to reduce the bail and to keep pretty much sandusky in a status quo. that's what he wanted to get out of it. he didn't get to cross examine the witnesses because

credibility is not an issue in a preliminary hearing. >> he should have known that. if it was a strategic decision to wait till the 11th hour, he's got a lot to answer for. the victims had had to come in and worry about testifying. it sounds he made a last-minute call because he realized i'm not going to do the cross examination i thought. it's a missed opportunity for the defense because they would have been able to lock in the accusers into another narrative and account that they could later pick apart for insistents. i think the sandusky lawyer said there's some advantage to having the accusers testify, but it's outweigh outweighed by the negative publicity he could expect if witness after witness came into the courtroom and testified that sandusky molested them. >> why is he so woished about publicity? >> the jury pool. there may be three or four people left that have not heard the initial facts of the case. these are the people that will be the jury of his peers. he wants to not taint them so

far against him that they are unable to keep an open mind. >> so e we know the arrangement is scheduled for january 11th. what is the specter of this trial and who is going to be called to testify? the victims now have to worry about testifying. but also this assistant coach, mike mcqueary. >> the big issue with him is going to be credibility. and one thing that the defense attorney did say was this issue of credibility was not going to be attacked. so there you go. >> all right. star jones and savannah guthrie, much more to come. thank you. here's matt. now to presidential politics. the iowa caucuses will be three weeks from today. the gop candidates are stepping up their attacks against each other.

chuck, good morning. >> mitt romney is retooling his strategy for the republican nomination now that he's the underdog. he's focusing a lot of attacks on newt gingrich. it was a throw away line on staying positive that has newt gingrich fired up this morning. >> thanks for coming by to see me. >> when mitt romney was the front runner, it was just to stay afraid frai. but now newt gingrich is in the lead. >> some folks just saying outrageous things will get you kudos and drive your numbers up. >> he had newt gingrich for not supporting paul ryan's medicare reform plan. >> the speaker said that the ryan plan, which was an entitlement reform plan was social engineering. i was astonished. >> and for his ties to freddie mac. >> i think a fair question is asked. why did e he profit as freddie mac failed?

>> that attack encouraged newt gingrich to give it right back to romney. >> if romney would like to give back all the money he's earned from bankrupting companies and laying off employees over his years, then i would be glad to listen to him. i bet you $10 that he won't take the offer. >> that was a dig at romney's debate bet. >> i'll tell you what. $10,000. >> the romney campaign shot back by circulating this clip from last year praising romney as a businessman. >> romney created more jobs than the entire obama cabinet combined. >> despite the attacks, romney pledged not to get too tough on gingrich. >> i'm not going to say outrageous things. >> gingrich picked up on the sentiment. >> i appreciate governor romney taking that position. i agree with him. >> gingrich agreed to a social

conservative group's pledge asking candidates to uphold the institution of marriage through my personal fidelity to my spouse and affirming marriages between one man and one woman. romney said his stance an exchange with a vietnam veteran. >> you do not believe everyone is entitled to their constitutional rights? >> no. i think at the time the constitution was written, it was pretty clear that marriage is between a man and a woman. i don't believe the supreme court has changed that. >> in the gingrich pledge, he said he will ask any super pack to take down negative ads. the motivation for that, romney's super pack is up with over $2 million in negative ads in iowa. this idea is not going to last. >> chuck todd, thank you very much. >> let's get a check of the other top stories with natalie morales. >> good morning, everyone. a train exercise turned deadly

overnight in washington state after two army helicopters at lewis mccord crashed killing four aviators. local authorities are investigating what caused the two observation choppers to crash. occupy demonstrations heated up overnight out west where protesters forced shipping terminals to halt operations. and in seattle, police dispersed protesters blocking a port kbrans. in russia, vladimir putin is fa facing a new challenger in his run for president. we have the latest on the billionaire giving putin a run for his money. stephanie, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, natalie. the political landscape in the country has changed dramatically in the last week. the opposition is energized and could pose a threat to vladimir putin. now he faces a new candidate.

he's a multibillionaire tycoon. a majority owner of the new jersey jets. now the 46-year-old says he also wants to be russia's president. >> translator: it is the most decision in my life. i'm going to run for president. >> reporter: he made his billions when he took over a state-owned metal company in the '90s. he had had maintained a good relationship with vladimir putin, until now. putin's government is facing a sudden new wave of public defiance. his political party lost seats in elections and is accused of trying to rig the vote. a nationwide opposition protest on saturday was the biggest this country that is seen since the early '90s. two days later, a pro government rally was considerably smaller. but in the shadow, it was a reminder of who was in power. putin's political party did lose seats in the election, but it's still the most powerful party in

the country. and when putin runs for presidency again in march, he's expected to win. the past week has shown that the russian people care about their country. now he has to convince them he's the guy to improve it. there's some intrigue in this announcement. this is russia. conspiracy theories believe he's running because the kremlin wants to split the opposition vote. so the plot thickens here. >> interesting theory. thank you. yet another request for iran to return a top-secret drone to the u.s. is going ignored. the obama administration has requested that iran the aircraft but admits there's little hope they will comply. u.s. officials say it's tough to how much intelligence iran can obtain from the lost drone, but state tv is reporting that

iranian experts are in the final stages of recovering data from the drone. let's head to wall street. cortney reagan is at the stock exchange. what's it looking like today? >> we said it before. headlines out of europe continue to steer trading here in the united states and investors remain concerned that the pollution that the european leaders came up with to solve the debt crisis may not be the best solution. in the meantime, a survey says that hiring prospects are the best since we have seen since before the financial meltdown of 2008. however, uncertainty about those staffing levels are also elevated at the highest levels since 2005. natalie, back to you. >> all right. thank you. and verizon had central new jersey cell phone users in a pa company sent a text message to customers warning of a, quote, extraordinary threat to life and property telling people to, quote, take shelter now. the messages were signed u.s.

govern leading many to believe they were official. 911 call centers in the area were swamped with terrified residents prompting new jersey homeland security to then announce that there was no emergency. verizon apologized saying it was just a test message inadvertently sent out. that is a big whoopsie. 7:16 right now. let's turn it back over to matt and ann and al. >> that is exactly what the followup message said. whoopsie. >> just a test. >> yeah. you would think the message would have said dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria. >> mr. roker, what's happening? >> we've got a lot of snow to talk about out in the southwest. unbelievable. we're sooepg teeing the southwe getting more snow than traditional areas. durango to taos 9 to 12 inches of snow. we have activity working through

the midwest. icy conditions the problems. freeze advisories in effect. icy travel duluth to marquette back to goodland. we are looking for about 0.1 inch of frozen precipitation, not enough to bring down power lines and tree limbs but enough to make for some hazardous travel. that's what's going on good tuesday morning. we have icy conditions here in the bay area, especially in the north bay this morning, where temperatures are at or below freezing. 30 in napa. 32 in novato. in the east bay and south bay interior valleys running dangerously close to the freezing mark. give yourself ample time to get the frost off the windshield. 60 today in san jose. and your seven-day outlook shows you we're mild until thursday. more rain moves in. . thank you. retail giant lowes is facing a growing back lash this morning after pulling its advertising from a reality show featuring an

all muslim cast. nbc's kevin tibbles is in chicago with the latest on this story. good morning. >> reporter: ann, lowe's says it dropped the ads because the show had become a lightning rod for complaint. but the home improvement giant had also been targeted by a florida group whose leader claims, and i quote him here, the show was spreading muslim propaganda. it's a reality show that looks like many other reality shows on tv. a slice of life in america. five people from dearborn, michigan and all the ups and downs along the way. it's called "all american muslim" on tlc. a window into the world of america's islamic community. one of its stars is a 32-year-old judicial aide for the dearborn district court. >> hoping to dispel the misconceptions and stereotypes people have of muslims in this

country. >> reporter: but one florida organization accuses "all american muslim" of trying to undermine american values. >> islam is a progressive ideology that wants to dominate the world. >> reporter: the florida family association launched an online campaign encouraging followers to petition the show's sponsors to pull their ads. >> we are concerned that americans are being fed propaganda that's not complete as it relates to islam. >> reporter: home improvement giant lowe's is the latest in what the group claims is a list of some 65 advertisers who have left. >> it's just sad that people feel that they need to respond to bigots. >> reporter: in a statement lowe's says "all american muslim" has become a lightning rod for people to voice complaints. but adds, we have a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion and we're proud of that long standing commitment. if we have made anyone question that commitment, we apologize. in dearborn, where some 30% of the population is of arab

descent, hurt and anger. >> i think it's wrong. like to think muslims are terrorists. >> and trending on twitter i see that lowe's has caved to promoting ignorance and intolerance. also last time i checked this was still the united states of america where businesses are free to advertise where and how they want. hip hop artist and successful businessman russell simmons tweeted, just purchased remaining spots for "all american muslim" for next week. the show is now sold out. keep your money, lowe's and we will keep ours. now, lowe's says it is not going to go back in on its decision on this. interestingly enough a number of other companies involved say they didn't drop their ads. they just didn't have any ads purchased in the first place. ann? >> all right. kevin tibbles. thank you so much for that story. just ahead, what is the family of missing florida mom michelle parker telling her 3-year-old twins about why their

mom has not been seen in nearly a month? we'll hear from parker's sister. but first this is "today" on nbc.

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! my high school science teacher made me what i am today. our science teacher helped us build it. ♪ now i'm a geologist at chevron, and i get to help science teachers. it has four servo motors and a wireless microcontroller. over the last three years we've put nearly 100 million dollars into american education. that's thousands of kids learning to love science. ♪ isn't that cool? and that's pretty cool. ♪

after allegra-d, i can breathe. [ male announcer ] a fast, non-drowsy antihistamine plus a powerful decongestant. [ woman ] after allegra-d, i have it all. still ahead the latest chapter in the miraculous recovery of a young model badly injured when she walked into an airplane spinning propeller. plus is it really possible to live forever? what scientists are doing to unlock the secret to reverse the aging process. that's coming up after your local news. [sfx: doorbell rings] and you can mix your seasonal pieces with your everyday china. [sfx: knocking on door] and now you need to hide. oh, i love the mercury glass pieces on the mantel, we could put some evergreen pieces... you know a simple touch like adding. oh, i think we should quickly decorate the hallway, wouldn't that be fun? maybe just put some...oh thank you so much, i'm going to bring you a snack later. wait, i still need to talk to you about led candles. happy holiday's. hey! hi! please come in. you know ornaments, they make a great centerpiece.

dinner with the girls tonight. i really want dessert. i better skip breakfast. yep, this is all i need. [ stomach growls ] [ female announcer ] why skip breakfast when you can start your morning with special k multigrain oats and honey, a wholesome blend of rolled oats and honey kissed multigrain flakes. it's a delicious way to get your whole grains and make your breakfast beautiful. ♪ i can't breathe... so i can't sleep... and the next day i pay for it. i tried decongestants... i tossed & turned... i even vaporized! and then i fought back: with drug-free breathe right advanced. these nasal strips instantly opened my nose, like a breath of fresh air. i was breathing and sleeping better! [ female announcer ] exercise your right to breathe right... get two free strips at breatheright.com. hey, it's your right to breathe right!

so i'm glad it's with fidelity. they offer me one-on-one guidance to help me choose my investments. not just with my savings plan here at work. they help me with all of my financial goals. looking good, irene. thanks to fidelity, i can stay on top of my financial future, huh? good one. why, thank you. whether it's saving for retirement, college, or anything else, contact a fidelity investment professional today. ki twizzlers. the twist you can't resist.

good morning, everyone. the time is 7:26. i'm jon kelley. occupy protesters declaring victory at the port of oakland after shutting down one final shift. more than 100 dockworkers turned away this morning when they got to the port at 3:00 a.m. now port fishes deciding to cancel the shift due to safety concerns. occupy protesters are staking out the court for 24 hours. that started yesterday morning. one worker said he thinks they got the message. >> that will be a good relationship. the file gave up a day's pay,

you know, and another day wouldn't have been good. >> most protesters did pack up and leave after learning the 3:00 shift was canceled. port operators expected to be back to normal when the next shift begins at 8:00 a.m. meteorologist christina loren is here to tell us about it. >> this is typically the coldest point of the day, jon, but temperatures are bitter cold out there. 36 degrees in oakland. you may even find frost. 32 in santa rosa. 27 degrees. that's it this morning in fairfield. about 15 degrees cooler in some cities than 24 hours ago. 59 in oakland later today. 58 in fremont. we have patchy, dense fog until 11:00 a.m. then we'll see sunshine over the bay area. and temperatures are on the warm side for today. one of the warmer days in the extended period. 59 by wednesday. then thursday showers arrive for the second half of the day.

let's check your drive with mike. >> we had a slow drive southbound out of 680. walnut creek with an earlier accident. just cleared from the lanes. 10 or 15 minutes was good enough to cause all the backup for 242 and 680. south bay is still slow northbound 101 all the way from the 85 up past the airport. that's causing more slowing for 280 and 85. plan your route accordingly. jon, back to you. >> good advice, mike. for the latest news updates, check out nbc bay area on facebook. we'll be back with another local news update in one-half hour from now.

♪ that's pretty. 7:30 now on a tuesday morning. 13th day of december, 2011. it's a beautiful morning here in new york city. we're taking a look at the view from the top of the rock. rock n rockefeller center, as we look southward past the empire state building. that is 1 world trade center being built in the distant background there. 12 shopping days left until christmas. let's see what kind of a crowd we have down on the plaza. lots of people in town these days doing a little shopping and sight-seeing. we appreciate that. we'll go outside and say hi to them in just a couple of minutes. >> want to thank davie for the little music. that's kind of uplifting this morning. >> puts us in the mood. inside studio 1a, i'm matt lauer

alongside ann curry. just ahead this half hour, the texas model who suffered life-threatening injuries ten days ago when she walked into a plane's spinning propeller. now she's walking on her own. we'll have the latest on her recovery, coming up. okay, also this morning, we'll be talking about the toughest bans on junk food in the country. we're talking about seattle. but the schools there are now considering putting sugary snacks back into the vending machines, and that's causing a lot of people to be up in arms. so, we'll get into that controversy coming up. of course, everybody's concerned about making sure we don't put foods in these machines because we don't want our kids to be overweight. so, we're tackling that problem. >> that's right. when you speak of weight, a lot of people want to lose weight, but what would you be willing to give up to shed 10 pounds? how about your cell phone for a day? how about sex for a month? >> ooh! >> we'll tell you what americans have to say in a new survey and we'll talk about that with "today's" professional star donnie and nancy. but first, kerry sanders.

>> reporter: good morning, matt. up until now, the search for michelle parker has involved hundreds of volunteers out searching the underbrush, raising money for reward money and providing any snippet of information they could to the orlando police detectives who are looking for the 33-year-old woman. but now, all of that has changed. the make-shift command post where michelle parker's family was camped almost around the clock is now empty. a sign to some family and friends close to the investigation that this near 1-month-old search has now shifted from an expectation that michelle or her body would be located quickly to what could be turning into a long-term mystery. michelle's family tells nbc news they're now focused on her 3-year-old twin son and daughter. >> i'm doing what i have to do. i'm waking up every day and making sure that i'm doing everything i can, as well as the rest of my family, to help the kids and find their mother. >> reporter: michelle's sister,

lauren, tells nbc's "dateline," the family has now liberal visitation rights, and all are now spending as much time as they can with the twins. >> they're doing okay. they ask, you know, about mom every now and again. >> reporter: if the children asked "where is mommy?" everybody's been told to say mommy's at work or mommy's on vacation. >> when they do ask, you know, she'll be home soon. she's just not here right now. but that's as far as, you know, we take it with them. >> reporter: michelle's mother says the family is overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from friends and strangers. >> and i can't thank you guys enough for everything. >> reporter: she says it's been a few highs and many lows. one promising lead, when michelle's iphone was found tossed in an orange county lake. >> it broke my heart. that was my hope is that they would never find that phone and that she still had it, at some point, she could get to it, you know? that's when i really started to

think this isn't going to end well. >> reporter: orlando police say remarkably, the phone was in good shape, but it's now been six days and a police spokesman says forensics experts are still trying to extract data that could be useful to the investigation. michelle's ex-fiance, dale wayne smith, the only suspect identified by the orlando police, has custody of the children. smith is not charged, remains free and denies any involvement. the last time smith was seen with michelle was just hours after an episode of "the people's court" aired. the two were there arguing over a lost engagement ring. >> i took it off and i threw it at him. >> reporter: now, smith himself is on facebook seeking $5,000 in donations to help support the twins. he's raised only $240. meanwhile, this past weekend, michelle's friends, anxious for answers, did what they could. a truck pull to raise a different source of money for

the children, funds that will be used to buy them christmas presents. the twins, a boy and a girl, taylor and tre, have indicated to family members that what they would like for christmas is a little tinker bell toy and a lightning mcqueen toy. there is another child, an 11-year-old that michelle had with another man, that is 11-year-old austin. he's indicated he wants an atv, but the family says what they really want is michelle home alive and safe. matt? >> all right, kerry sanders for us in florida this morning. kerry, thank you very much. it's 7:35. here's ann. matt, thanks. now to the miraculous recovery of a texas woman who accidentally walked into a plane's still spinning propeller. natalie's here with the latest on this story. hey, natalie. >> good morning, ann. it's been a little over a week after that accident and it is still touch-and-go for the 23-year-old model, but new details are emerging that suggest lauren scruggs is well on the road to recovery. >> wanted to let you know that we are starting a pumpkin carving contest on "lolo"

magazine. >> reporter: just ten days after the propeller accident that left her critically injured, aspiring model and fashionista lauren scruggs is showing remarkable signs of recovery. on monday, her family posted a new blog entry online with hopeful news, saying "praise the lord, lauren's pain is much more manageable today!" "she has been eating some of her favorite foods today, sweet potatoes and hard boiled eggs!" and probably the most encouraging news yet, her deeply religious parents write, "lauren was able to walk on her own today, such a miracle!" >> i am lauren scruggs with "lolo" mag. >> reporter: the 23-year-old fashion blogger has a passion for flying. a week ago saturday, she flew over dallas in a single-engine plane with a friend to see christmas lights around the city. but as she exited the plane, she accidentally walked into the still spinning propeller. lauren suffered a number of critical injuries. her left hand was severed. she has a skull fracture, a

brain injury, a broken collar bone, and she may still lose her left eye. >> she's got her spunk back, her personality. >> yeah, her personality. >> she's smiling. her face, you know, she's able to raise both eyebrows. >> yeah. >> that doesn't sound like a big deal, but they were worried about the nerve on one side. >> reporter: friends and neighbors have rallied around lauren. over the weekend, they raised nearly $15,000 to help pay her extensive medical bills. >> most are just our regular customers, would come in and they have thrown money in the bucket. >> reporter: lauren's facebook page and blog are full of well wishes from friends and strangers around the world, praying for her recovery. >> we're just seeing an outpouring from across the country and also across the world. we're getting e-mails from everywhere, and we just really appreciate all that everyone's doing for us, from prayers and donations. >> and while lauren is making progress, she still has a long way to go. she's working with a physical therapist now to improve her strength, and doctors are still

not sure if she'll regain the use of her left eye, ann. >> all right, natalie. thank you so much. now let's get a check of the weather from al. >> announcer: today's weather is brought you by kay jewelers. every kiss begins with kay. good morning, everybody. we've got the testa twins here. how are you guys doing? what's your name? >> i'm zane. >> and? >> michael. >> michael. good to see you guys! where are you from? >> rhode island. >> well, nice to see you. i like the matching hats. very festive. let's find out what's going on as far as your day is concerned. afternoon temperatures. we've got 30s and 40s here in new england, 60s and 70s down into southern florida. we also are looking at some freezing rain making its way through the midsection of the country. we're also looking at icy conditions northern minnesota into the arrowhead there. air stagnation alert continues in the pacific northwest, and the snow continues in the southwest. and who got engaged? i can't even tell.

oh, there you are! >> i got engaged, nicole. >> where's your fiance? >> he's back in dallas. >> he beat it out of town! oh, there's the ring. very nice. congratulation good morning to you. 7:39 on a tuesday morning. temperatures very chilly out there. and we have some patchy fog. it's really cold out there. near records. it's very close to a record now in santa rosa, napa and hayward. 36 in oakland. you might find frost on your windshield in the city of oakland at least for the next couple of hours. 59 in redwood city. 58 in san francisco. even though it's december we typically don't get this cold this early. 59 tomorrow. and don't forget, you can check your weather any time of the day or night. go to the weather channel on cable or weather.com online. ann? >> all right. you look adorable, by the way, in that hat, al. thank you so much. coming up next, fight the bulge or boost the budget? why schools in one major city

are now reconsidering their that'sight rfter this. hi s. - 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. presenting neil lane bridal at kay jewelers. - this scrollwork is a vintage technique, very intricate. - each hand-crafted ring is an original neil lane design with diamonds hand-selected by kay. neil lane bridal: the newest reason kay is the number one jewelry store in america. and with my bankamericard cash rewards credit card, i love 'em even more. i earn 1% cash back everywhere, every time. 2% on groceries. 3% on gas. automatically. no hoops to jump through. that's 1% back on... [ toy robot sounds ] 2% on pumpkin pie. and apple. 3% back on 4 trips to the airport. it's as easy as 1... -2... -3... [ male announcer ] the bankamericard cash rewards card. apply online or at a bank of america near you.

[ toy robot sounds ] it's all crossed out... it's 'cause i got everything on it. boom! thank you! [ male announcer ] the big christmas event is here. starting 8 a.m. saturday. with great deals on toys, electronics and more... the only place to go for last minute gifts is walmart.

we're back at 7:42 with a dilemma facing schools in seattle, washington. should a long-standing ban on junk food in campus vending machines be changed to help the schools make a little more money? nbc's george lewis is in seattle with details on this. george, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, matt. behind me you see a row of typical vending machines with the usual soft drinks and snacks. we had the chips ahoy for breakfast. at schools here in seattle, however, you won't find that sort of stuff in machines because of a junk food ban that went into effect seven years ago. now, that could change. in the seattle schools, vending machines can dispense only healthy stuff, no soft drinks, no candy bars. it's one of the toughest junk food bans in the nation. so, what do you have in your vending machine? >> um, baked chips, water,

juice, yeah, not much. >> reporter: so, by and large, students ignore the machines and buy their junk food off campus. >> if we can go five minutes and get candy and stuff, it's not like they're preventing us from having it. they're just making it slightly harder to obtain. >> reporter: before the junk food ban, the machines generated more than $200,000 for student activities every year. this year, they've only made $17,000. so, the financially strapped school system is thinking of rewriting the rules. >> we're still sitting with the same policy we had seven years ago, so it's time to take a look. >> reporter: parents we talked to seem divided on the idea of relaxing the junk food ban. >> i'm really not a fan. i think kids should, any chance they get, should get something halfway healthy, any chance. >> as a parent, i mean, you know, if you have -- i'm always worried that one of my kids is at school and feeling low and needs energy, you know, before they're taking a test or

something, i'd rather have them have a snicker bar than nothing. >> reporter: but any talk about relaxing the rules has some dieticians up in arms. >> i don't think it can be an option to go backwards and now create revenue from unhealthy food items for children. we know that there is an obesity epidemic in our country. >> reporter: students who have been lobbying for the rule change say their efforts have been somewhat misrepresented. >> we are not bringing back junk food, the cokes, the chips, the bad stuff. we're not bringing that back. what we're trying to do is modify the current policy in order to bring other nutritious foods back that students will buy. >> reporter: this debate is giving students and parents in seattle plenty of food for thought. students tell me they're willing to forego the candy bars and the sugary sodas if they could just get items like vitamin water or hummus or maybe some granola bars with a little chocolate in it. matt? >> george, thank you. you never impressed me as a chips ahoy kind of guy.

i saw you as a cap'n crunch kind of guy. thank you, we appreciate it. is it possible to live t w? hear what some scientists are saying after. . if you have painful, swollen joints, i've been in your shoes. one day i'm on top of the world... the next i'm saying... i have this thing called psoriatic arthritis. i had some intense pain. it progressively got worse. my rheumatologist told me about enbrel. i'm surprised how quickly my symptoms have been managed. [ male announcer ] because enbrel suppresses your immune system, it may lower your ability to fight infections. serious, sometimes fatal events including infections, tuberculis, lymphoma, other cancers, and nervous system and blood disorders have occurred. before starting enbrel, your doctor should test you for tuberculosis and discuss whether you've been to a region where certain fungal infections are common. don't start enbrel if you have an infection like the flu. tell your doctor if you're prone to infections, have cuts or sores, have had hepatitis b, have been treated for heart failure, or if, while on enbrel, you experience persistent fever, bruising, bleeding, or paleness.

get back to the things that matter most. ask your rheumatologist if enbrel is right for you. [ male announcer ] enbrel. the #1 biologic medicine prescribed by rheumatologists. but they should always be comfortable. [ nicole ] how do they feel? [ woman ] they feel wicked good. 'cause it's the wicked good slipper. [ nicole ] my name is nicole waite. i sell wicked good slippers. and the holidays are made here at l.l.bean, where your order ships for free. they're itchy, dry and uncomfortable. i can't wait to take 'em out, throw 'em away and never see them again. [ male announcer ] know the feeling? get the contacts you've got to see to believe. acuvue® oasys brand contact lenses with hydraclear® plus technology, keeping your eyes exceptionally comfortable all day long. it feels like it disappeared on my eye. [ male announcer ] discover why it's the brand eye doctors trust most for comfort.

if you have astigmatism, there's an acuvue® oasys lens for that too, realigning naturally with every blink. ask your doctor for acuvue® oasys brand. it's a great hd tv... shhh. don't speak. i'll just leave you two alone. [ male announcer ] the big christmas event is here. starting 8 a.m. saturday. with great deals on toys, electronics and more... the only place to go for last minute gifts is walmart. electronics and more... a vacation on a budget with expedia. make it work. booking a flight by itself is an uh-oh. see if we can "stitch" together a better deal. that's a hint, antoine. ooh! see what anandra did? booking your flight and hotel at the same time gets you prices hotels and airlines won't let expedia show separately.

book it. major wow factor! where you book matters. expedia. back now at 7:48 with the latest discovery that has some scientists asking if it is possible to live forever. nbc's michelle kosinski's here with details. hey, michelle, good morning. >> hi, good morning, ann. you know, you talk to some top researchers, microbiologists, molecular geneticists, and it's hard to believe what they're saying is real and not science fiction. there's a growing group of scientists that sees aging not necessarily as an inevitability, but a problem that they believe can be fixed. in science labs around the world, right now the race is heating up to reverse human aging. you heard right. not slow it down or fix it up, but turn it around, by things like regenerating tissues and

organs, using stem cells, computers. there's a printer that makes blood vessels, mice that regrow intestines. >> what would excite me is that i'm working on the world's biggest, oldest problem. >> reporter: there's someone alive today who could live for thousands of years? >> i don't think there is any limit. there is nothing that would stop people intrinsically from people living thousands of years. >> reporter: at 1,000-year-old cambridge university, where back then people hardly lived past their 20s, they're spearheading research, gathering experts to end aging. they see it not at all as a necessity, but a problem, a build-up of damage and gunk in ourselves. he just isolated an enzyme in bacteria that fixes that and might work in human cells, too. >> when we get these therapies, the world is going to be very different. >> reporter: there are all kinds of ideas out there -- implanted computer chips to operate mechanical body parts -- >> here, why don't you take these? >> reporter: and a supplement

created by american geneticist bill andrews, that he says shortens our tell meres, which is a main reason why we age. >> the main reason i want to live forever, it's fun to be alive. >> yes. >> reporter: inspired by his dad, who challenged him as a child to become a doctor and cure aging. >> the literature tells us that i would say 95% certain or better that if we can find ways to lengthen the telomeres, we will reverse aging. >> reporter: there are doubters, but some believe real breakthrough in lifespan are possible, soon. there is a book on why society believes we could live to 100 or 1,000. if there's reason to live, you might eat more potato chips on the couch. >> you might. the idea of a longer lifespan gives you more opportunity to try new things and be more adventurous. >> reporter: these scientists pushing their mortal minds to the limit. >> would you hurry up? >> yeah.

>> i promised that i would reach 150. >> reporter: to, as they put it, cure aging or die trying. and it's not just about extending lifespan, it's about extending health. and it's funny to hear them talk about this as if it was a car, that if you keep replacing the parts, theoretically, it could last forever. but you know, this research is in the very early stages. there's not a lot of funding and no human has ever lived past 125. >> 125 is pretty good, but boy, wouldn't it be something, matt, to live further? what would we do with our time? >> what's your definition of soon that they're going to come up with this stuff? is this going to help me? >> 10 years, 20 years? >> yeah, you're going to live forever as a 70-year-old, how about that? >> thanks, michelle. just ahead, tim tebow. [ female announcer ] why shop at walgreens for your stocking stuffers?

so you don't have to deal with this. [ crying ] i just wanted some stocking stuffers. what am i -- invisible? are you serious? don't get involved. everybody's bumping me! [ woman crying ] [ female announcer ] just go to walgreens. one simple trip to find everything you need to stuff every stocking. and don't forget the hershey's kisses chocolates. now earn up to $20 in jingle cash good on your next purchase of $30 or more. shopping. simplified. with walgreens...there's a way.

. . . .

good morning, everyone. it is 7:56. i'm jon kelley. santa clara city lawmakers meeting today to approve key parts of the 49ers' move south. it looks like right now san francisco is not planning to do anything the stop it. san francisco's planning commissioner said he reached out to mayor ed lee to try to keep the team in san francisco at a new stadium at hunter's point. the mayor says unless the city can come up with $400 million there's really no point in keeping the team. santa clara city council will review the city stadium plan, including the financial plan at a meeting tonight at 7:00 at city hall. time for the local weather check. meteorologist christina loren is here to tell us what's happening outside, besides the cold. >> yeah, it is cold out there. we have frost and fog to contend with as well.

32 degrees in novato. very close to temperature records in santa rosa and hayward this morning. 38 degrees in hayward right now. cold conditions all across the board. we'll end up in the upper 50s and low 60s with a lot of sunshine for the second half of your day. 60 degrees in san jose. by tomorrow, clouds increase ahead of a system that's going to bring us some rain showers late thursday to friday, but they won't last long. friday clearing. crisp sunshine by saturday. let's check your drive with mike. >> christina, still very slow southbound 680. this bus involved with the accident. no injuries and no people on board. finally cleared from the board off of 680 to highway 4 and all the way down to the middle of walnut creek. slow through the lauf yet area. slowing is pretty typical toward the bay bridge and the east shore freeway. back to you. >> mike, thank you very much. for the latest traffic and news updates, please make sure to

check out nbc bay area on facebook. i'll have another news update for you in 30 minutes from right now.

8:00 now on a it's the 13th of december 2011, and our crowd is trying to enjoy the warm glow of that big norway spruce across the street, even though it's a very cold morning this morning, now down to 33 degrees here on the plaza. so, obviously, winter is here. i'm ann curry on the plaza along with matt lauer and al roker. let's give ourselves a big hug because it's one of those mornings. >> let's also ask al to say -- >> you rascally rabbit, you! >> i was trying to avoid that, but you do look like elmer fudd. >> be very, very quiet.

>> it is a cozy and cute hat. speaking of cozy and cute, we're talking about "today's professionals." >> they are in the studio right now. we have an interesting set of topics for them to discuss this morning, including the tim tebow phenomenon, also a new survey that asked americans what they'd be willing to give up to lose 10 pounds. so, how about this? would you turn your cell phone off for a day to lose 10 pounds? >> sure. >> how about giving up sex for a month? >> no. >> i'm happy heavier. >> we're going to be asking donny, star and nancy about that survey and other things. >> okay, what else? >> oh, we've got "jill's steals and deals" coming up. she is going to be bringing us some really nifty stuff for up to 80% off just in time for the holidays. >> you must be exhausted. she just keeps doing all this shopping, finding all these deals. >> and up in the kitchen, we've got sandra lee. >> that's right. doing some cooking. >> on her cell phone. >> i'm not giving up my cell phone. not happening. no way. >> what she's going to do up in the kitchen is help us save time

in the kitchen because so many of us are running around for these holidays. >> right. >> a time -- you know, we don't have time. >> true. >> going to help us out. >> we don't have time out here. let's go inside to natalie. 1450e she has the headlines. >> good morning again. good morning, everyone. a surprise penn state sex scandal this morning. former assistant football coach jerry sandusky waived his right to a preliminary hearing. just aas his accusers were getting set to testify that he sexually abused them. it clears the way for the case to go to trial. outside court sandusky vowed to fight for all of his defense. a disturbing report was released about safety violations at head start centers around the country. according to the report, many of them had broken down playground equipment, dangerous chemicals within reach, and improper background checks for workers. head start is the federal program that provides early education to low income students. meantime, the obama

administration says that homelessness now among the nation's veterans fell by about 12% over a recent 12-month period. according to administration officials, more veterans are taking part in a voucher program that helped subsidyize their housing costs. texas investigators are trying to figure out today how two middle school students in texas were shot while they were playing on the school's outdoor basketball court. authorities are questioning three deer hunters to see if they may have accidentally shot the children while hunting in a nearby pasture. one child is in critical condition. the other is stable. troubling news from syria. one top united nations official says the government has killed more than 5,000 civilians since the uprising began there nine months ago. among the dead, at least 300 children. now for a look at what is trending today. our quick roundup of what has you talking on-line. reality bites for former alaska governor sarah palin. according to the hollywood reporter, she's pitching a new

reality show about her husband, todd's, adventures as a snow mobile racer, but so far no takers because the price is too high. then you have seen the der ver broncos quarterback tim tebow take a knee in prayer. people calling it tebow-ing. it's now an official word. tim tebow has inspired a website called tebow-ing showing figures all striking a pose. sorry, charlie. didn't you learn anything from anthony wiener? he tried to send his cell phone number to justin bieber with a direct message on twitter. well, just one problem. he accidentally tweeted his number to his millions of followers instead. no surprise. he was inundated with calls and text messages and even answered some of those calls saying ray's pizza or winning. the number has now been disconnected. it's 8:04 right now. let's go to al for a check of your weather.

we've got a little strawberry. who is this? >> this is ryan. >> oh, how old? >> 3 months. >> he is beautiful. >> first time to new york. >> that's fantastic. >> hi, ryan. merry christmas. whoa. you are scaring the baby. [ screaming ] >> wow. you retired now? >> yes. >> wow. you need a job as a car alarm. let's check your weather. see what's happening. green bay, wisconsin, nbc .26 cloudy, cool. temperatures in the 30s. . as we look, we show you we've got a lot of snowy conditions in the southwest. it's snowynon the west more than the northeast. go figure. icy conditions up to the upper plains. all into the midwest. sunny skies along the eastern seaboard.

a little on the chilly side. rip currents and showers along the eastern florida coast. more snow in the four corners, and we're looking at air stagnation in the pacific northwest. got some miami country day teachers. there you go. good morning to you. we don't have any rain in the forecast for today. just dealing with the aftermath of yesterday's showers. fog and frost out there this morning. ample time and it's cold. 59 in redwood city, 61 degrees in los gatos today and 60 in san jose, with a mix of sun and clouds for the first part of the day. 59 degrees tomorrow. little cooler. little more fog to contend with in the morning hours and another round of rain moves in late thursday into friday. turning 10 there. happy birthday. i dare you to talk to me. i can't do that. i don't take dares. good to see you, though. what's your name? >> um, wait, what?

>> what's your name? >> oh, my name is matt. >> see, you dared me to talk to you, i did and look what happened. okay! ann? >> you know what? that happened with me the first time i was on television, too, matt, so don't worry about that. coming up next, what would you be willing to give up to lose 10 pounds? we're going to find out from "today's" sewyofession mesalsag. [ woman ] my boyfriend and i were going on vacation, so i used my citi thank you card to pick up some accessories. a new belt. some nylons. and what girl wouldn't need new shoes? we talked about getting a diamond. but with all the thank you points i've been earning... ♪ ...i flew us to the rock i really had in mind. ♪ [ male announcer ] the citi thank you card. earn points you can use for travel on any airline, with no blackout dates. earn points you can use for travel on any airline, it'snow you do it... ♪

you squashed my willpower like a fly. you looked so innocent and so sweet. convinced my lips that we should meet. you were a relentless flirt. oh no we had indecent dessert. twinkle twinkle hope appears. a stevia leaf erased my fears. it made my willpower a super hero. as for calories, it has zero. twinkle twinkle truvia® star, natural sweetness, i love just what you are. truvia®. honestly sweet. i've been so looking forward to this. when my asthma symptoms returned, my doctor prescribed dulera to help prevent them. [ male announcer ] dulera is for patients 12 and older

whose asthma is not well controlled on a long-term asthma control medicine, like an inhaled corticosteroid. dulera will not replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. dulera helps significantly improve lung function. this was shown over a 6 month clinical study. dulera contains formoterol, which increases the risk of death from asthma problems and may increase the risk of hospitalization in children and adolescents. dulera is not for people whose asthma is well controlled with a long-term asthma control medicine, like an inhaled corticosteroid. once your asthma is well controlled your doctor will decide if you can stop dulera and prescribe a different asthma control medicine, like an inhaled corticosteroid. do not take dulera more than prescribed. see your doctor if your asthma does not improve or gets worse. ask your doctor if dulera can help you breathe easier. ♪

can help you breathe easier. yi mean you've got like five chundred dollars worth of nuts here, you do the math. be five percent more merry with the target red card, by getting an extra 5% off, our already low prices. plus free shipping at target.com ♪ i'll be taking care of business every day ♪ we're back at 8:10 with "today's professionals," ready to tackle the day's hot topics. we're joined as always by star jones, donny deutsch and dr. nancy snyderman. good morning, all. >> hey, matt. >> good morning. >> nice to see you. let's talk about the topic in the headlines the last few days. mitt romney during a debate offers rick perry a $10,000 bet. did the media make too much of that story? how do you think it played in the heartland? >> i watched it live, and it was one of those moments where i

immediately went -- [ gasp ] and even in your own living room, everything came to a halt it was a disastrous move. >> look, the main things the candidates are saying in the scheme of things, it's not a big deal. you have little kids who will say i'll bet you a million dollars. >> but he's not a little kid. >> by the way, people say oh, because he's wealthy. jack kennedy's family was the fifth wealthiest family in the country when he was problem. it's irrelevant. >> the problem is, no one resents when you're rich. we resent when you don't take into account that other people are not -- >> but that's -- >> and using a $10,000 bet -- >> it's out of touch. >> but donny gets to the point, it doesn't matter how much money you have, it matters whether you have solutions to fix the problems of middle class and poor people. >> but there were no solutions offered up in that debate. >> let's move on, tim tebow. a lot of people talking about this quarterback for the denver broncos right now. he's immensely talented and charismatic and is also deeply religious, and he wears his religion on his sleeve. i'll go further on this, but i want your first impressions. is it a problem? >> boy, if that's our biggest

problem, we have a wonderful athlete who's religious. and opposed to carrying on in the end zone and acting like an idiot, shows his faith to god. god bless him. it's a wonderful thing. >> i think he wears his religion in his heart and i really like that. i find him completely sincere -- >> you know what, it makes me a little uncomfortable every time i see anyone, i don't care what your religion is, sort of put it out there. however, there is something about him that is phenomenally authentic, and i didn't love the super bowl ad they did last year, but there is something about him. he really sort of seems to live it. so, the fact that he's now being mimicked and the fact that he's not being a jerk in the end zone -- >> i think it's ridiculous. i think it's ridiculous that there's even a minute controversy over this. >> but you made a good point yesterday, and that is everyone keeps saying, well, he can't be that good. he's 7-1! >> also, this is a guy, we don't seem to mind where in another sport, a guy wins an event and they say how did you do?

and he says i want to thank my federal express, viagra, snickers team, but we mind when they thank jesus christ some. >> listen, he didn't shoot anybody in the leg, he's not with underaged kids -- >> would we be discussing this if it was a black athlete? we wouldn't be discussing it. >> i agree with you on that. >> let's stick with religion and culture here. lowe's, as we all know, pulled its advertising from a show on tlc called "all-american muslim," which follows the lives of muslim americans living in the michigan area. donny, an advertising guy, were you surprised by the move? >> well, no, sadly, no. look, the reality is, 99.999% of muslims are wonderful in this country, and what they're reacting to, unfortunately, is tens of thousands of letters they're probably getting from audiences saying we don't like the show. and if the ceo has one responsibility to the shareholders, he's probably saying i just don't need this headache. the same way if he got letters

from angry italian americans about "jersey shore" and he goes, i just don't need it i don't think it's a moral judgment, i think it's a business decision and they have a right to do that. >> in northern indiana, there's a large muslim population. i think this is a chance for a ceo to say i hear the 1%, but guess what? these are muslim americans representing the heartland. we get it, we're going to listen to you, but we're going forward. that would have been a very courageous move. >> and i like the opposite thing. i like the fact that other people said, oh, you're going to pull your advertising? then we're not going to support you. that's the american way. >> which is great, but the american way is also capitalism. i don't agree with the ceo, but he has a right to make a decision, what he thinks is right for his business. >> by the way, the florida family association, which kind of prompted all this, says the show is propaganda that "riskily hides the agenda's liberties and values." >> and that bothers me. >> when you run a controversial show, it gets this discussion up

and we get to hear innane, stupid things like that. >> let's lighten things up, no pun intended. according to a survey by lifetime fitness, they asked people what they'd be willing to give up to lose 10 pounds. how about these results? 64% of respondents would not turn off their cell phone for even one day. >> wow. >> what does that say about our -- the health-consciousness of america? >> wow! >> 10 pounds? i don't have to take any calls? i won't be taking calls. >> sad. sad. we are such an over, over, over technolized society, they wouldn't give that up for 10 pounds, but they would give up sex? >> 10% would give up sex for a year or more. >> you know, you can never be too skinny or too rich, so people think, but you -- >> or have too much sex! >> no, but you know what? to give up sex and your sexuality and communication, i

think that's a phenomenally disturbing stat. >> human communication. i like that. >> you like that? >> matt, she's touching me again, matt. >> it's all about connecting. >> it's all about dieting. >> here's the kicker for you. this is -- i mean nothing by this. it's purely lighthearted. according to a new survey by menshealth.com, which is my bible, jennifer aniston is the sexiest woman of all time, not the sexiest woman of sitcoms of the last ten years. >> no, so cleopatra doesn't even rank. >> of all time. how do you think about this? >> she is the definition of not sexy. she's cute, but with sophia loren and raquel welch -- i want to know which men answered that survey. >> i can't believe halle berry is 35 and jen aniston is 1. she's cute and beautiful, but i've got to tell you, i saw halle working out in the morning with no lashes, no makeup -- >> i thought you were going to say with nothing on. >> think about this. just by comparison, you

mentioned halle berry is at 35. you know where elizabeth taylor ranks on this? >> 60s? >> 69. >> shas unbelievable. >> she is gorgeous. >> bo derek, 56. >> marilyn monroe, top ten, i think. >> she was 3, followed by britney spears, madonna, ursula andrus, pamela anderson, eight, angelina jolie at ten. >> and i've got to say madonna is one of the least sexy women walking the earth. >> can i nominate natalie morales? seriously, for her not to be in the top ten, it's atrocious. but jennifer aniston, to speak on behalf of men, she is -- men do not find her sexy. she's cute. i'm sorry, jennifer. i know we had a bad night, it has nothing to do with that. >> the hair, but whatever. >> raquel welch. >> sexy is in the eye of the beholder. it's different than good looking. >> star, donny and dr. nancy. sandra lee saves some money and time-saving meals for the busy holidays, right after this. [ female announcer ] ornaments are not for decorating.

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... hershey's air delight.

experience light and airy, melty bubbles. made from pure, delicious hershey's milk chocolate. hershey's air delight. make the best vehicles in america... and once a year offer them with special savings. today, it's a phenomenon. toyotathon is back. see the reinvented camry, named a 2012 "best resale value" by kelley blue book's kbb.com. and with amazing deals, now's the time to get the toyota you've been waiting for. others have tried to copy it. but in the end, there's only one...toyotathon. the biggest and best sales event of the year is going on now! forty years ago, he wasn't worried about retirement. he'd yet to hear of mutual funds, iras, or annuities. back then, he had something more important to do. he wasn't focused on his future but fortunately, somebody else was. at usaa we provide retirement solutions for our military, veterans and their families.

from investments... to life insurance... to health care options. learn more with our free usaa retirement guide. call 877-242-usaa. it burns! it's singeing me. it's the sun. get out of the office more often, with chili's $6 lunch break combos, featuring texas toast half sandwiches. chili's lunch break combos. sears real big gift sale is on now. save 50-60% off clothing for everyone on your list. and incredibly low prices on fleece activewear, only $9.99. plus, get coupons at searsstyle.com for over $100 in extra savings on top of already low sale prices. sears. hurry! sears real big gift sale is on now! up to 40% off all mechanics tools sets, our lowest price ever on this craftsman autohammer, and entire stock tvs is on sale. plus 60% off men's outerwear, fleece and sweaters. so get to sears, now!

♪ back now at 8:20. and this morning on "today's kitchen step-by-step," a hardy feast your family will love. during the hectic holiday season, it's hard to find time to deliver a homemade meal, but sandra lee has some solutions for us. her new book is called "money saving meals & round 2 recipes." hello, sandra, good morning to you. >> hello. i love being with you! >> i love being with you, too. happy holidays. now listen, we want to save time in the kitchen because we're busy running around. you're saving us time and money. what are the best tips for that in general? >> when you look at money-saving meals, one of the first things i do in that book is itemize how you're going to save money. my favorite thing is joining a club store, and that is your sam's, costco, bjs, whatever your club is. $50 membership, you'll save that on the first receipt and they'll last a year. you'll save a ton of money. next thing, when you go to the grocery store, know when the sales are. if you have a name-brand products, they're normally on sale the first of the month.

we all get our paychecks then and the store private labels go on sale at the end of the month, so watch your sales. and next, clip coupons. some people like to do it, some not so much, but the 50, 25-cent off coupons, sometimes it's double down days. you can save up to $15. and on the back side of your receipt, i was at my a&p, i got a receipt, the back side said 15% off your next purchase. >> wow. >> so save those coupons. >> give me five. a lot of great advice there. okay, now, let's talk about what you've brought today, which is not an expensive cut of meat. tell us about it. >> absolutely. in "round 2 recipes and money-saving meals," you're not going to waste anything and you can buy beautiful, beautiful produce and meats. now, these are shortbreads. i'm putting them in the slow cooker. the slow cooker is a great way to save money because you can take what is normally a tough piece of meat and you can really make it a beautiful, beautiful -- >> you're browning it first. we all know how to do that. >> yes, brown that. >> and put it in the slow cooker. >> in the slow cooker, i have

turnip, onions diced up and carrots. >> can we put that in a pot? >> i do it in the oven on 250 for six hours and they are melt in your mouth fabulous. >> okay, all right. >> now, here's the trick, too -- >> i'm going to put some of this stuff in? >> yes, we're going to put in our rosemary and thyme and parsley. >> okay, there you go. there we go. and our? >> lots of root vegetables. parsnip. here -- >> nicely done! >> you've got to simmer -- >> i know, now we're talking, now we're talking. >> dark beer. >> only dark beer? >> richer. >> richer, okay, bring it. >> more bold flavor. >> okay, we've got mustard. >> brown mustard. >> inside this? mix it all together, and a fancy blouse because you know it will splatter on you, because that's what i'm doing. >> i'm going to do that because i want to break up that mustard. >> okay, you do it. break it up. >> the reason we're combining the liquids together, we're combining the flavor. >> yes. >> and you always have to have a liquid in the slow cooker. that way you don't get a big

douse of mustard on one side, right? >> good point. let's move on. >> cover it, six hours on low. >> six hours and it's going to show up like this. your entire family, make a salad and you're done. >> four people. that's about $4, $5 a serving. >> so, the only part of the time it's saving is -- $4.59. oh, hey, nicely done. but it saves time because you've stuck it in this thing and don't have to worry about it, so there you go. let's move back here. >> and it's a fraction of the electricity costs as the oven, the slow cooker. >> okay, all right. >> great christmas. >> this doesn't sound like it's going to save me any time at all. a savory tart with mushrooms. >> mushroom walnut tart. okay, onions. a little canola oil and saute them up. here are your mushrooms. a lot of people think you're going to buy whole mushrooms and slice them yourself, exact same price if you buy them sliced, so save yourself some time. >> and you don't have troins th rinse them off or anything? because they're going to get soggy. >> normally, you brush them off. >> brush them still when they're sliced?

>> no, they clean them for you. i don't. >> okay, there you go. that saves time. garlic and? >> and thyme. >> okay. we all want thyme. >> we all want thyme. >> this is going to take me what, 15 minutes? >> yeah, 10 -- >> 10, 15 minutes. now, but i don't want to make this dough. >> you're going to buy premade -- >> premade. >> this is premade pie shell dough. however, you can also get the rollout ones. if you already have stuff in your pantry -- and that's the most important thing with "money saving meals." throughout this book, we are buying things to go in the pantry that are common, everyday items. you use them over and over again. that's how you save money. if you have the rollout shells, just use -- i know, convecti convection -- >> it buzzes. reminds you you're alive! >> take the biscuit cutter and cut them out, or the dough, just squish this down in here. it's a fun little idea for kids. >> oh, that's good. you get them to do that. that's saving you some time. then you put that inside there -- >> and then into your food processor, you're going to put mushrooms and onions. >> i see that. put that in the food processor

first and then put it inside the tart. >> then the walnut mushroom tart. then beef stock. want to put that in here? >> we're out of time. once we put that all together, le good morning, everyone. it is 8:26. i'm jon kelley. the manhunt continue iing this morning for a gunman who started firing at a fast food restaurant in pinol. it all happened at the in and out burger on fitzgerald drive in pinole last night. witnesses say they heard three or four shots before people started spreading out and just running. the victim was flown to the hospital. even after the shooting had taken place, two hours of lines of cars snaking around the crime scene toward the drive-thru window until cops finally stepped in to shut it down.

quick check on your traffic. commute going to work right now. mike inouye is here to tell us all about it. >> wish we could shut down this backup but it keeps building up northbound 680 at montague expressway. they're going to have to clear that. look for a traffic break as well over the next few minutes likely. northbound 101 north of the airport, slow because of an accident there and 280, accident has cleared the road. be sure to check out nbc bay area on facebook. we're back with another local update in one half hour from right now. -dad, why are you getting that? -that's my cereal.

is there a prize in there? oh, there's a prize, all right. is it a robot? no. is it a jet plane? nope. is it a dinosaur?] [ male announcer ] inside every box of heart healthy cheerios are those great tasting little o's made from carefully selected oats that c help lower cholesterol. stickers? uh-uh. a superhero? ♪ kinda. [ male announcer ] and we think that's the best prize of all. ♪ [ female announcer ] during the holidays, there's a lot to get done. and safeway select appetizers

help you rise to every occasion. ♪ from delectable to amazing. there are over 20 affordable safeway select appetizers ♪ to make all of your gatherings just as merry as can be. ♪ only at safeway. ingredients for life.

♪ 8:30 now on a tuesday morning. it's the 13th day of december 2011. you know it's a beautiful day here in new york city, not a cloud in the sky, a little chilly, 33 degrees, but that makes it holiday weather, and we've got the group pennetpenta collecting toys for the toy drive. they're winners of nbc's "the

sing-off," a capella group. they're going to perform for us later on. >> they're very cute. they make nice elves. >> out on the plaza, i'm matt lauer along with ann curry, al roker and natalie morales. what else is coming up? well, also coming up this morning, we'll be talking about how to add a special touch to your gift-giving for the holiday. you know, is it too late to give things monogrammed? >> monogrammed. >> i don't know why that came out so funny. are you laughing at me? >> not at all. >> anyway, it's not too late to get a monogram. >> not laughing at you. >> we'll find out where you can order them. >> not to be confused with candygrams. and our good pal jane pauly is here. she'll be telling us about a man who took a long and painful road to find his life calling. all right, and then surviving the holidays without wrecking your diet. we're going to share some ideas from some tasty, low-calorie meals that your family is sure to enjoy. all right, every once in a while, you realize what a fun job this is.

>> yes, just every once in a while. >> this is one of those times because i get to introduce christopher plummer, one of the stars of the highly anticipated movie, "the girl with the dragon tattoo." >> how are you? >> mr. plummer, what an honor. good to see you. >> i'm coming in, baby, because you know, you know. i've had a crush on christopher plummer for many, many years. >> we all have. >> lots of movies. >> you are sensational in this movie. the movie is quite a ride. the good news is, so many people love the book. the bad news is, so many people love the book that they are going to hold you to every detail. >> that's right. >> do you think it holds up? >> oh, yes. it's very faithful to the book, extremely faithful, except maybe at the end where she rides off into the future, because they're going to film the next two. by the way, this coat i wear as henry in the movie, i stole it. >> you stole the props from wardrobe. >> you need to be in roles to have nice coats. by the way, here's a warmer for you, in case you're cold, not that you need that. but you're also starring with

daniel craig. don't eat it for goodness sake! and this new young woman named rooney morrow. >> she's extraordinary. it's a most courageous performance. >> someone who's been in as many films as you, what's it like to see someone breaking out at that stage of her career? >> oh, it's unbelievable. it's unearthly, it's so exciting, because she's very young. and because she's very young, the character is more spooky and more scary than ever. >> and speaking of young, you're celebrating your 82nd birthday today. happy birthday. >> yes. >> yay! happy birthday! >> oh, my god. >> we've got cupcakes, one for each one of us. >> oh. one, two, three -- >> happy birthday. >> but you're hotter than ever at this point. >> thank you. >> you're hotter than ever right now. >> al said you're hotter than ever. >> there's been oscar buzz? >> my mother said wait until you're 80 and it's going to all work out.

>> what al is referring to is you're actually -- there's oscar buzz for another movie you're in called "the beginner." >> yes, it's a charming film. >> yeah? >> as opposed to this one. >> well, you are charming. we have loved you. and in this movie, you're fantastic. >> thank you. >> so, thank you. >> good to have you here. really nice to see you. >> thank you. >> "the girl with the dragon tattoo" is opening very soon. mr. roker. all righty, let's show you what's going our neck of the woods is bitter, bitter cold this morning. frigid starts making for frosty conditi conditions in many parts of the bay area. this is san jose, where we're actually in the upper 30s right now. some cities in the north bay are still holding on to the 20s. 28 degrees now in napa, 29 in santa rosa. we are going to start to warm up. i think by about 9:30 most of your temperatures will be above freezing. the sun has been out for a couple of hours w. 61 in los gatos. rain moves in yet again late thursday. and that's your latest

weather. well, guess what? it's now down to three on nbc's "the biggest loser." john, antone and ramone. it's anybody's guess who will be crowned winner during tonight's live season finale. host alison sweeney is out live in los angeles. alison, good morning. >> good morning, al! >> these guys are really closely matched. this could be anybody's game today. >> oh, absolutely. it's a really exciting finale, because all three guys are so close. they have both worked -- they have all worked so hard for it. but you know, ramone is really young and maybe that energy that youthful enthusiasm will push him over the edge. and john has wanted it from day one. i mean, he has literally wanted to win from the moment he set foot on campus. and antone's an athlete. he's a former nfl player, so, he's certainly got game, too. >> and antone, there's a 26-pound suppressent between antone and john. do you think he can close that gap? >> oh, i think if anyone can, antone can.

he definitely knows what he's doing, he knows how to compete, he knows how to aim for the finish line. so, he's got it in him, you know? it's going to be a great show tonight, al. we have train performing. we have a lot of fun stuff, some good surprises, too. >> all righty. alison sweeney, thanks so much. don't forget, you can catch the live season finale of "the biggest loser" -- they're going to be looting the studio! taking things, ripping them off. "the biggest loser: battle of the ages," featuring a special performance by train, that's all tonight at 9:00/8:00 central right here on the network of looters, nbc! just take whatever you see! strip the whole place bare! >> no, no, don't do that. >> i'm just kidding. up next, we're going to have some personalized ideas for your holiday gift-giving list. but first, this is "today" on nbc. >> just steal them! >> more on the reality show. ♪

it's easy to see what subaru owners care about. that's why we created the share the love event. get a great deal on a new subaru and $250 goes to your choice of 5 charities. with your help, we can reach $20 million dollars by the end of this, our fourth year. other places have bbq burgers, hbut not with the kick this oneh my new ouhas- burger.

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.. ride that spicy chicken!

♪ >> announcer: "countdown to christmas" is brought to you by sears. back now at 8:38, and this morning on "today's countdown to the holidays," personalized presents for everyone in your family. why give a generic gift when there is still time, we're told, to order something custom? liz is the publisher and editor in chief of coolmompicks.com. liz, good morning to you. >> good morning! >> i'm surprised to know there's still time. you're going to keep us honest as you go down the list as to what you have to order immediately. we have just a few days left. >> absolutely. the longer your wait, the more you'll pay in shipping, so get on it now. >> for women, jewelry, or girls, right? >> yes, coolmompicks loves supporting small designers. this is custom embroidered monogram necklaces. they're phenomenal and in the $30 range. >> and what is this, a notebook with your favorite photo? >> yeah, personalized notebooks. minted.com tends to be known for

photo cards, but they have great gift ideas. these are lovely, just $16. >> and you get these online? >> yes, minted.com. >> minted.com. who doesn't need a yoga mat? hello, this time of year, we all need a little yoga. these are personalized, which is cool. >> oddly from a place called mycustomyogamat.com. they actually sell custom yoga mats. you can pick your color, embroidery, your name. great for a fitness buff. >> okay. and you can get this today? >> in the next couple days. i think probably thursday. on coolmompicks, we actually have all of the drop dates for everything. >> okay. >> but definitely in the next two days. >> all right. a little tote. >> everybody loves totes now that we're moving away from paper and plastic. co clava.com tells these. they fit right into your bag. >> i love these serving trays. they're wonderful. the lauers, for matt's family. >> and these are jonathan adler, and we love them. >> they're beautiful. >> you can get them personalized, but you have to order them today from

thestationarystudio.com. they've dropped the price, i think starting around $71. >> beautiful, beautiful colors. now, this is interesting. is this for your birthday? >> well, actually, men, who are so hard to shop for, if you've got a sports buff in your life, redenvelope.com always a good source for personalized gifts. they've got these incredible "the new york times" history sports books, where you pick your favorite team and they'll put together 6,200 pages of top sports headlines for that team. >> that would be great for your son. >> also women love sports, too. >> and these are notebooks you could personalize? >> these are great for a writer or artist or an ocd person that takes a lot of notes. they're about 16 bucks. double that and you can get them personalized. >> do they make them small? >> yes, small and large. these are the books picasso used that hemingway used. there's a great history to them and men love them. >> i use them. anyway, let's move to this, even though i'm not hemingway or picasso. we have a minute left.

let's see what we can get through. these are for young people. >> yes, m edge makes these great cases you can monogram or have them for the teams for the nooks and ereaders people will be getting this holiday. and then tons of great stuff for kids. freckle box, this is one of our favorites because everything is so inexpensive, less than 7 bucks and you can get your kid's name on every single page of a coloring book. >> that's a delight for kids when they see their name. >> they love it my daughter, e happy with this one. >> also, we've got place mats, which are fun. >> yes, at sarahabraham.com, they're $18. you can customize not only your kid's name, but how they look. >> and you can turn your children into super people. >> everybody loves to be a superhero. plainjane is a lovely site. you can get the whole kit and not only get the cape, but use it as a craft project on the holidays. >> so just a couple days. liz, thank you so much for your great ideas this morning. >> thank you. >> getting us ready for christmas. coming up next, jill martin

sharing her newest batch of steals and deals. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

♪ back at 8:44. for years, steve worked his ranks up in the music industry, teaming up with superstars like mary j. blige. now he uses his talents in advertising, and he's combined the two worlds for his new book called "the tanning of america: how hip-hop created a culture that changed the rules of the new economy." steve, good to see you. welcome back. so. i'll be honest with you, the book was put on my desk a couple weeks ago. it said "the tanning of america." i thought it,k÷j was a skin tan book. so explain it to me. >> the tanning of america is a simple concept. as times change, you have a generation of kids who have a blended mental complexion, where they are pulling information from the asian community, the hispanic community, the african-american community, the

caucasian community, and this blend mental complexity. >> so, despite the fact that we have varying skin complexions, we're starting to think more and more alike, and you think music really helped to drive this phenomenon? >> yes. music -- actually, music played a very important role in the whole thing, because it was a way for people to express. the music videos were like tutorials. so, all the things you didn't understand about another culture you got a chance to understand through these videos. and now with social networking and everything, people are visiting each other's cultures on a daily basis. >> you say music taught you how to rock your pants, wear your hat, rock your car. music videos became tutorials on dances. it brought a lifestyle with it, one that allowed seemingly different groups to see things through a similar lens." >> yeah. how about that? >> and you think some seminole moments in the tanning of america, run dmc teaming up with aerosmith for "walk this way," and eminem, you give him a lot of credit. >> eminem did something very important, because he, unlike elvis, when he got the platform and became the most prolific,

prominent artist in the world, he actually gave credit to where it came from. he actually paid homage to the source, and that was a very important thing, where elvis borrowed his art form and didn't necessarily pay homage. >> you talk about the music and the music videos, and you refer to them as a litmus test and a trojan horse. so, in other words, this music came in to suburban households, and once it got in there, it changed the cultures within those households? >> yeah, because the music videos got in. then all of a sudden, inside the music videos were pants, ebonics, how to dress, your lifestyle, entirely packaged within the music video form, and people didn't know how it got into the households. >> why was it different in my parents' day and my day, when i was listening to my parents' music, sinatra and tony bennett and nat king cole? didn't i want to emulate those people the same way kids today want to emulate the music stars they're listening to? >> the difference is the power media had at the time.

nat king cole, i mean, they would do a christmas special one time a year and then you wouldn't necessarily get a chance to see them on a daily basis, how they dressed, how they spoke. >> now you have combined -- you've taken -- you saw this coming. >> yes. >> you got out of music somewhat and you went into advertising. how is corporate america reacting to this? how's it going over in boardrooms of major corporations? >> good question. when i first started in 2004 it was an uphill battle it was a lot of headwinds. i think since the census data came out in 2010, it's definitely made life a lot easier. just yesterday, i announced that i won bud light, i work for state farm, for mcdonald's, bing, for microsoft. these are all companies that have all changed their point of view based off of the census data and everything that's come out of it. >> i would think that it makes it easier for these corporations because they can target their message to a more general audience. they don't have to go to the fringes. >> no more boxes. no more african-american, hispanic. if you're under the age of 25, you see the world in a colorless

way. you have shared values, so people are segmented through values but no longer through color. >> is this here to stay or is it a cycle? will we go away from the tanning of america in the next decade or so? >> no, we're going to be fully tan, matt. >> where your sunscreen when you're in the tanning booth. >> wear your sunscreen. >> steve stoute, good to have you here. >> thank you very much. >> pleasure. the book is called "the tanning of america." up next, jane pauley on one man who found his calling by [ man ] it's big. supports in times of need. same with aladdin. the biggest in bail. no one has lower prices, is faster or more professional. aladdin bail bonds. bigger because we're better.

♪ back now at 8:50 with more live calling today. "today" show contributor jane pauley is working with aarp, which has produced and sponsored our special series of reports, and this morning, jane has a story of a man offering hope to many who are experiencing these hard times. jane, good morning. >> thank you, ann. orlando ward is starting a big, new job. he's a man in his prime at 51. but it was a long road to reinvention. ♪ >> reporter: orlando ward is a familiar face on the streets of skid row in los angeles. >> i consider myself somebody that's in the hope business. how are y'all doing? >> reporter: he knows the business from both sides.

he used to be one of the homeless. it wasn't supposed to be that way. >> not even a little bit. >> reporter: you were a star. a high school basketball star recruited by hundreds of colleges. he picked stanford. what the heck happened? >> i thought a lot about that over the years. i landed a job. i had some success. >> reporter: when did you actually fall off the rails? >> happy hour became happy couple of hours, happy night, happy couple of days. somewhere during that period, i crossed that invisible line. >> reporter: there were many years of drugs and denial and as many attempts at rehab, but ten times. >> i had been coached all my life. i know how to take coaching. but i didn't feel it and i didn't live it. >> reporter: finally, at the age of 38, he walked away.

you just let go? >> i let go of everything. >> reporter: for two years, he was homeless. the people who loved you, did they finally cut you off? >> yes. i remember i called my mom one day, some story about needing money again. and it was, orlando, i don't know what you're doing. i didn't raise you that way, but i can't help. and she hung up. >> reporter: in the spring of '99, he began the slow walk back. >> i'm sitting in my little cardboard box, and i just started to talk to god. i am an addict, i am an alcoholic, i'm here on skid row and i'll probably die here. my fight was gone. i had given up. >> reporter: that's when he found his way to l.a.'s midnight mission. he got a job in the kitchen and started working his way toward recovery.

>> i spent over a decade of my life with the midnight mission as a client, as an employee, as a supervisor, as a manager, as an executive. >> reporter: the highest ranking executive at the midnight mission ever to come off the street, vice president of operations. but everyone knows he started at the bottom. >> absolutely. i don't hide it. i have a responsibility to demonstrate to people that are where i was that there's no limits. there's none. put it right into that basket. >> okay. >> all right? shoot. that's what i'm talking about. >> reporter: did you ever get back to your mom? >> oh, man, in a big way. my dad had a mild stroke. i was the first person they called. they rely upon me to be their

son, and it does more for me than it does for them. >> reporter: and today, he has a family of his own. >> you know, god's not done with me. there's more to do, and i'm up for it. i'm game. >> with 12 years of sobriety behind him, orlando is looking forward to a new appointment as director of community affairs at volunteers of america in l.a. the reality check. one of the keys to staying in recovery is that giving support is as therapeutic as getting it, which is why orlando has chosen to keep his work and talents in the community that saved him. and i hope you'll join me today at 12:00 eastern time for my live internet radio call-in show at aarp.org/jane. >> beautiful story, jane. >> thank you. >> it reminds us that god works in every one of us. thank you very much. coming up, we've got much more, including stocking

stuffers with jill martin, after your local news. good morning. it's 8:56. i'm marla tellez. a new field poll is giving governor jerry brown support. the poll found 65% of adults surveyed support his plan, which would increase sales tax by a half percent and raise tax on high-income earners, beginning

with individuals who make more than $250,000 a year. brown says it could raise almost $7 billion for the state. meteorologist christina loren is checking those very cool temps this morning. good morning. >> good morning. yeah, we are still at that freezing mark in places like livermore and below. 29 degrees in santa rosa. we'll hit the 60s in some cities later on today. then rain on the way late thursday into friday. that's been wrapped in a flaky crust stuffed with a gooey center toasted up all golden brown then given a delicious design? a toaster strudel. pillsbury toaster strudel. so delicious...so fun. pillsbury holiday star cookies start with pillsbury cookie dough easy. then add my own favorite frosting and sprinkles. just three ingredients to sweet memories. holiday ideas made easy.

who would have thought we would be celebrating another holiday season, the third in a row, stuck in double-digit unemployment? i'm suzanne shaw. more than 2 million californians are struggling to find work. though facebook, apple and google have fueled our recovery, there's a world of hurt behind the headlines. sadness, fear and perhaps, worst of all, is the loss of hope. this holiday season, nbc bay area hopes you'll remember that gifts come in all forms. sometimes the little acts of kindness make the biggest difference. spending time with someone who's down, listening, letting people know they matter. it's often not about the money,

but about touching people's hearts. and we can all do that, by spreading encouragement and hope. we welcome your stories of hope at nbceditorials.com. ♪ rockin' around the christmas tree at the christmas party hop ♪ we're back now with more of "today" on a tuesday morning. it's the 13th day of december 2011. a little christmas music to get us in the mood. the rockefeller center christmas tree in the background and nice, chilly shopping weather. this is as good as it gets during the holiday season. i'm matt lauer, as we do some sort of a musical weird dance here. i'm matt lauer along with ann curry, al roker -- universe! >> and savannah guthrie as well. hello, folks. good to have you here. what do we have coming up in this half hour? oh, we have big news, actually. we had expected this morning we'd be talking about that

preliminary hearing involving jerry sandusky, the former assistant football coach at penn state. he was expected to actually get to face his accusers in a courtroom, but right before the hearing began, he waived his right to that preliminary hearing. we're going to get the latest on that coming up. >> it really begs the question why wait until this morning to make that announcement, because he could have done this, obviously, earlier. and certainly, for all those young kids who are now grown men who are now accusing him, you know, a very emotional morning for them as well as for sandusky and his family. >> we'll learn more. >> we'll get to that. also, there's another story we'll be talking about which we've been telling you all about, this beautiful, young woman, a blogger, an aspiring model, who walked accidentally into the propeller of a plane and she was hurt. the news about her recovery keeps getting better and better, and her father is here to talk about that this morning. >> okay, then a little bit later on, how do you survive the holidays with your diet, your waistline intact? >> i don't know! >> it's something we all worry

about. >> i've failed repeatedly. >> well, joy bauer is here, have no fear. "diet s.o.s." is covering that. >> and how do you survive the holidays and keep your budget intact? jill martin is here with "steals and deals." great deals for our "today" show viewers. dressy ties. [ everyone talking at once ] >> that's for fun. i don't think that's for sale. the backpack -- >> she's been showing up -- >> difference places, exactly. let's go inside. natalie's at the news desk. hi, natalie. >> good morning once again. good morning, everyone. we begin with the breaking news they just mentioned. former penn state assistant football coach jerry sandusky waiving his right to a preliminary hearing. it now clears the way for him to go to trial on charges of him sexually abusing young boys. sandusky spoke briefly outside of the courthouse after the decision. >> to stay the course to fight. we await the opportunity to present our side, and we

couldn't do that today. >> for more on this story, i want to turn to nbc's national investigative correspondent michael isikoff, who was in the courtroom. michael, this is a surprise decision, wasn't it? >> reporter: quite a surprise, natalie. you know, as recently as last night, joe amendola, sandusky's defense lawyer, was assuring reporters he was going to go ahead with this hearing. he had been giving every indication in recent days he was preparing for his defense, preparing to question these witnesses who were going to testify, try and poke holes in their story, and then no sooner did the proceeding begin this morning, judge robert scott asks if anybody has anything to say. joe amendola pops up, there's a sidebar, and the next thing we know, there's a continuous, he's waived his right to the preliminary hearing. now, first thing that should be pointed out is, for the prosecution, this is a good thing. they get to preserve their case. they don't have to lay any of their]m;xñ cards on the table. they had 11 witnesses prepared to testify today. now none of themqó have to do and the prosecution says they're

ready to go. what it means is hard to say. there's already talk this could be the precursor to a plea bargain, although certainly, jerry sandusky's comments there that we played at the start don't seem to indicate that. it could mean that just in the court of public opinion, to have all these victims tell their stories in what promised to be a very emotional hearing was not something jerry sandusky wanted to have happen today. >> all right. very interesting developments there. ìáhp &h& pennsylvania. much. military investigators are accident at a base in washington state. two u.s. army helicopters crashed last night, killing four soldiers. it's not clear whether the+9 choppers collided or crashed separately. a warning for parents now. a new study out today from the government reports that many safety violations were found at head start centers around the country. according to that report, some instructors also never underwent a criminal background check.

head start provides early education to nearly 1 million low-income kids nationwide. and now, to an update on lauren scruggs, the 23-year-old texas woman who walked into the spinning propeller of an airplane. well, a little over a week after that accident, it's still touch-and-go for the aspiring model's recovery, but new details are emerging that suggest lauren is on the road to recovery.éngz >> wanted to let you know that we are starting a pumpkin carving contest on "lolo" magazine. >> reporter: just ten days after the propeller accident that left her critically injured, aspiring model and fashionista lauren scruggs is showing remarkable signs of recovery. on monday, her family posted a new blog entry online with hopeful news, saying "praise the lord, lauren's pain is much more manageable today. she has been eating some of her favorite foods today, sweet potatoes and hard boiled eggs." and probably the most encouraging news yet, her deeply religious parents write, "lauren was able to walk on her own today, such a miracle!"

>> i am lauren scruggs with "lolo" mag, and -- >> reporter: the 23-year-old fashion blogger has a passion for flying. a week ago saturday, she flew over dallas in a single-engine plane with a friend to see christmas lights around the city, but as she exited the plane, she accidentally walked into the still spiihízg lauren suffered a number of critical injuries. her left hand was severed. she has a skull fracture, a brain injury, a broken collar bone, and she may still lose her left eye. >> she's got her spunk back, her personality. >> yeah, her personality. >> she's smiling. her face, you know, she's able to raise both eyebrows. that doesn't sound likeí5ue a b deal, but they were worried about the nerve on one side. >> reporter: friends and neighbors have rallied around lauren. over the weekend, they raised nearly $15,000 to help pay her extensive medical bills. >> most are just our regular customers, would come in and they have thrown money in the bucket. >> reporter: lauren's facebook page and blog are full of well

wishes from friends and strangers around the world, praying for her recovery. >> we're just seeing an outpouring from across the country and also across the world. we're getting e-mails from everywhere, and we just really appreciate all that everyone's doing for us, from prayers and donations. >> reporter: and while lauren is making progress, she has a long road ahead. she continues to work with a physical therapist to improve her strength and doctors are still not sure if she will regain the use of her left eye. but still, she is recovering. it is now seven minutes past the hour. let's go upstairs to al for a check of your weather. >> that is the good news, she is recovering. thanks so much, natalie. let's see what'senhappg.in we've got snow where we're normally not seeing it, from flagstaff, arizona, into albuquerque, durango. we aret[6yñ talking about anywh from 3 to 6 inches ofnog.w and some of the upper elevations, as much as a foot and a half. then as we moveo the east, icy conditions stretching from parts of oklahoma and texas, all the way up into parts of the

midwest, goodland, grand island, duluth, marquette all under winter weather advisories or freeze advisories because we're talking about anywhere from a tenth of an inch of freezing rain to a little bit less. not enough to bring down trees or power lines, but enough to make for some=0'÷ hazardous dri well, we've got a frosty start to this tuesday morning. this video, taken from san jose. give yourself plenty of time. you'll probably still find frost on your windshield up in the north bay. most of your temperatures are climbing above the freezing mark. 33 in novato, 34 in santa rosa. hayward you hit 36 degrees earlier this morning. another clear night will make for another cold start tomorrow. rain is on the way. it looks like thursday afternoon, the showers move back in. looking good for today. 60 inlabd. ♪ sending out an s.o.s. time now for time now nor joy's diet s.o.s. the answer to your daily diet

dilemmas. joy bauer is here to discuss everything holiday. from low calorie desserts to the best natural sweeteners to use in your holiday baking. >> good morning. >> good morning, al. >> let's get to it. missy is on the phone. hello, missy. little missy. what's your question from virginia? >> my question is i'm a mother of four, and i have a very busy schedule, and many times i find myself running errands or doing holiday shopping around meal times. what's better? skip the meal and go hungry for a few hours or pick up a quick meal at a fast food place and if i go to fast food, i'm not going to order a salad because really who does? >> i appreciate your honesty, and if you can wind up ordering a burger and fries or a slice or two of pepperoni pizza, i say skip the food court. you definitely don't want to get caught up in one of the fast food chains if you're not going to be ordering something clean. i also don't want you to be rav nuss. i think a perfect solution it s is to keep an emergency snack stash either in your purse or in the glove compartment of your

car. this way you can have something to eat and it's going to tide you over until you get home, and you have access to a full healthy meal. in fact, i always have in my bag either some nuts or roasted edamame or a gran oela bar, so this way you're not left high and dry when you're starving and continually check the stash because as you eat things, you want to replace them. happy holidays. >> all right. >> caller: thank you. that's perfect. >> that's what we've got. another e-mail question. this one from gale in plantation, florida. she rights "which of the best natural sweetener for holiday baking, and stirring in our oatmeal maple syrup, honey, or agave? are there any specific health benefits to give one of theme? >> no, there's not. when it comes to those that she mentioned, they're about 20 calories per teaspoon, and they're all basically refined sugar. i do have to say that when you use agave because it's sweeter, you can typically get away with a little less, but to me personally i tell folks to go after the sweetener that you like the taste of the best and that works best for a particular

recipe and i think the biggest health impact is going to come when you minimize the amount of that sweetener. like that's the bottom line. >> we're going to go to skype, and this is a great question. i know we're getting ready to make holiday cookies. kale why from cookville, tennessee. good morning. what's your question? >> good morning. i wanted to have a container full of bite-size cookies and desserts to friends. i'm wonder if you have tasty lower calorie or possibly even nutritious recipes for this? >> i love this question. please put al and i on your gift recipient list. there are four simple things that you can do to pretty much any recipe to give your cookies a health twist. the first thing is make them smaller. when you sh red wing the size, you're going to automatically cut back on the calories, but make sure that you then lessen the bake time to adjust for the smaller size. the next thing is take a look at how much sugar the recipe calls for, and then pull it back by a quarter. you are not going to miss the

difference. when it comes to the flour, you are going to swap whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour for 50% of the total flour that it called for. in other words, if it says to put in two cups of all purpose flour, make one cup whole wheat or whole wheat pastry flour. >> does that change the texture? >> no, it won't change the texture. this tip particularly works well for chocolate and for gingerbread cookies because they have strong flavors that beautifully mask the wheat flavor, and the last thing i would tell you to do is add in health y mixes. fruit, nuts, even dark chocolate tips. you have a shot of nutrition along with the sugar. it's a perfect compromise. >> kayla, thank you for that. >> i love that question. put us on that list. i like those cookies. still coming up, we've got jill's steals and deals. holiday gift ideas up to 80% off. everything from ties to moisturizer and more, and don't watch anybody else's because they have inferior products.

later, the most affordable classic toys any kid would love to find under the tree this year. first, these messages. o find un tree. ov i'm bored with my toys. 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. ♪

and it's your fault. instead of blaming me try advil congestion relief. often the real problem is swelling, not mucus. advil congestion relief reduces swelling due to nasal inflammation. so i can breathe. [ mucus ] advil congestion relief.

♪ back now back now with a holiday edition of jill's steals and deals. we are deeply discounted prices from stockings to jewelry. much, much more. today contributor jill martin is here to walk us through all

these great offers. good morning. >> good morning. you know the instructions. get on the computers now. now, the question is a lot of people are going to have is will it be delivered by christmas? >> delivered. all these products by 12-23. you have to get on today.com right now. we have so much inventory on this, but we've been selling out. if you want it, get it right now. >> let's get to it. for the guys we have boxer briefs by nautica. >> i'm going to be direct because i know the director joe michaels going to try to get me in trouble. here we go. the nautica boxer brief, the retail $36 for a two-pack. in white. nautica sells to top retailers like macy's and lord & taylor. it will be arrive by 12-23. the deal is $10. that's 70% off. >> that's amazing. okay. excellent. okay. anthony dryer offering these beautiful bracelet collection, which you're also wearing today, and you're showing us how you can stack all the different colors together. >> layer them. each $50. it comes in ten colors, all with

white, black, or hand-dyed fresh water pearls and a sterling silver bead. big with celebs, especially laird like this. the retail $50. the deal is $13.50. that's 73% off. that's really good. >> that's for one? >> that's for one. >> if you have to get a couple, you're going to have to layer let's move over here. these come as a collection, as a set. these are buchlt bengal sets, and you get 15 pieces in the set, right? >> the retail $175. what's great is you can take a set and break them in two and give them as two gifts because there's a glass bengal set available in three sizes nine colors available. the retail $175. the deal $43 for the set. >> that's amazing. you said break them into two gifts. even better. okay. next, this is great for those of you with little ones.

instead of nine dvds by my talking toddler, and the company described it as a learning system to teach your child speech, language, and reading. >> the retail for the nine dvds, $18939 .99, and teaches children from six months to 3 years. and the system was built along pediatrics, and you see a little video right here. >> it's sign language. >> age appropriate speech and language concept, sign language, and sounds. you see it right here. the retail is $189.99. the deal is $49. that's 74% off. >> you need that horn every time you announce your deal price. okay. next over here, gear bags and great. the retail $118 to $138. the brand big with the a few. light weight fabric and water resistant. good for snowy and rainy weather. four styles, six colors.

the i pack, which is for the ipad, the sling pack, which you can skate and take all your gear and then the backpack, the small and the large ones. the retail $118 to $138. the deal, $37 for whichever style. up to 73% off. >> very hip and cool. okay. now, next these great ties by peter blair. are these great? >> the retail $80. these are conservative with a twist. all are 100% silk and hand sewn in the u.s. known for novelty designs and geometric prints. 170 designs to choose from. the deal $16. that's 80% off. >> that's amazing. i love it there's literally a little olive. little martini tie. over here we've got something by the body shop, which is fantastic. >> yeah, this is a really great deal. retail $126. care collection featuring the three best selling body

butter flavors, the shower gel, body lower, body polish, hand water, hand butter all in a beautiful tin. the retail $126. the deal $35. that's 72% off. this is the whole set right here. amazing. going to find that price at their body shop stores. >> just for "today show" viewers. log on. >> steals and deals. you did it once again. let's remind our viewers of the products. they are the men's boxer briefs by nautica, the pearl bracelets by anthony dreyer, the bengal, the set of nine dvds for my talking toddler, bags and backpacks from urban packs, the ties by peter blair, and, finally, last but not least, the moiz riser collection from the shop. any questions about be sure to tweet jill at todayshow and use the hash tag steals and deals. thank you again, jill. >> thank you. coming up, from the royal wedding to the kardashian divorce, we're going to check out the biggest conversation starters of the year.

year. but first, these messages lief of occasional constipation. go to senokot-s.com for savings. it's all crossed out... it's 'cause i got everything on it. boom! thank you! [ male announcer ] the big christmas event is here. starting 8 a.m. saturday.

with great deals on toys, electronics and more... the only place to go for last minute gifts is walmart. come for a smoke? yeah. no. you telling me you quit? yeah, i'm on my way. i'm trying nicoderm cq. [ male announcer ] every time you say no to a cigarette, celebrate a little win with nicoderm cq, the patch with smart control technology that gives you a burst of nicotine in the morning then continues working for up to 24 hours so you can go from one little win to another. until you reach your goal. nicoderm cq. quit one day at a time. is non-stop to seattle? just carry preparation h totables. discreet, little tubes packed with big relief.

from the brand doctors recommend most by name. preparation h totables. the anywhere preparation h. twoept take a moment to thank all the nice people who have been helping us in this year's toy drive. our 18th annual we received a batch of new donations this morning collected by the acapella group and the nbc's "the sing off." >> already this year we've raised nearly $25 million in

gifts for needy children around the country, and here to tell us about avon's gift is hazel mcintire, an avon lady herself. good morning to you. >> how are you? >> tell us about your donation. >> sole avon is proud to be donate this year 6.5 million avon representative over $180,000 of products. >> and you're not only an avon lady, but you are finishing up a masters in social work. >> that is correct. >> what does something like this mean? >> in terms of donating. one of the things i love about avon is that they do have a longstanding history of being philanthropic. i'm so happy to be here to represent that. >> everybody loves the avon products, and it's something for kids to be able to give to moms for a present. >> ava mcintire, thank you. >> thank you so much. >> we want to remind everybody if you would like to donate and can't be here in person, you can go to our website today.com. just ahead, we got a look at some of the classic toys and games at affordable prices that

will brighten your kids' holiday season. that's all ahead, but, first, your local news and weather. hey, you made your own lunch. yep! (mom) i'm so proud of you. the bus is here, gotta go mom. okay hunny, have a great day. look in your bag, made you something. (announcer) it's more than just that great peanut taste, choosing jif is a simple way to show someone how much you care. choosey moms, choose jif. ♪ [ female announcer ] just for these hectic holidays, mcdonald's introduces new peppermint mocha and peppermint hot chocolate from mccafe. the simple joy of unwinding. mmm... pillsbury crescent wrapped brie just unroll, wrap the brie and bake. it's so easy.

now this might even impress aunt martha. pillsbury crescent wrapped brie. holiday ideas made easy. it is 9:26 now. good morning. i'm marla tellez. concord city leaders will decide today whether to fork over half a million dollars to replace copper wiring after the city's biggest metal heist. thieves stole 130,000 feet of copper wire from six parks and one tennis court this year. they will decide whether to spend $425,000 to replace the copper wiring and create vandal-resistant electrical boxes. the city hopes its insurance will cover about 200 grand of that. bay bridge planners want to hear from you on a project to

build a new bike and pedestrian pathway on the bridge. they'll hold an open house today to talk about potential design for the new pathway on the west side of the bridge. the open house will be at the san francisco transportation authority's board room onan ness at 12:30.

good morning to you. well, we're above freezing in all your bay area cities at this point, but not much above freezing in santa rosa ought. 34 out there. really cold conditions. we'll see the 60s later on today under full sunshine. 67, san rafael. light showers as we head through late thursday, but clouds will increase as of tomorrow ahead of that area of low pressure. 59 degrees by thursday with a few light showers, clearing by friday. then we've got a nice, crisp weekend to look forward to with

temps in the 60s. let's check your drive with mike. an accident at high street right at the bend. still in your third lane. it's been there for about 15 minutes. that's what's causing all the slowdown past that high-speed bridge. back to the maps, we'll show you the other side of the bay. 280 east, an accident clearing from lanes right at the 380 exchange, causing all the slowing. that, in addition to the rest of the traffic. back to you. >> okay, mike. thank you. we'll be back with our next news and weather update in half an hour. we'll see you again at 9:56.

this place is perfect! why didn't you mention it earlier? >> well, it's a bit complicated. >> complicated's okay. what's so complicated about this place? >> well, you see, it's a -- [ growling ] >> it's a zoo. >> a zoo? >> yay! [ laughter ] >> oh, matt damon -- >> can't wait to see that. >> i know. talking to his kids about starting a new life in the new family drama "we bought a zoo." we'll talk to him about his new movie tomorrow on "today." >> there's a lot of buzz about this movie. a lot of buzz already. >> everybody says it's good. meanwhile, coming up, what did americans talk about the most in 2011? the royal wedding, casey

anthony's trial and acquittal, the economy? just ahead, the new list of the top conversation-starters of the year. all right, plus, do you still need to find gifts for the kids on your holiday list? maybe you should consider just going back to the basics. coming up, the old-school toys that are reasonably priced that your kids are sure to love, and some older kids, too, very older kids. >> extra emphasis on old school there. >> emphasis on old. >> exactly. >> and we'll talk to famous author al roker about his latest novel. >> first, you have a check of the weather for us. >> i do, indeedy. let's show you what's happening for today. sunshine up and down the east coast, flurries in the eastern great lakes and wet weather making its way through the mid-mississippi river valley with some icy conditions. air stagnation alerts continue in the pacific northwest. raining tomorrow in the pacific northwest with heavier rain making its way into the upper mississippi river valley. slight risk of strong storms texas on into parts of arkansas. we're also looking at sunny but cool conditions along

good morning to you. 9:31 now. taking a live look high atop san bruno mountain. fair amount of cloud cover leftover. blue skies above that cloud cover that we will all enjoy later on today. it will take until about 11:30 for your skies to completely clear in san francisco. 58 degrees later on today. 61 degrees in los gatos. as we head through the next couple of days, changes are on the way. low pressure bringing about more cloud cover for the second half of your wednesday. rain arrives late thursday into early friday. friday looking clear. that's your latest weather. thank you, al. coming up next, the stories that had all of us talking in 2011, from the kardashians to the royals. the new list of the top conversation-starters of the year, right after this 's new baked pasta romanas. these warm hearty creations are only here for a limited time. ruffled lasagnette pasta, layered with creamy fontina and asiago cheeses with roasted garlic and oven baked just for you. try it topped with pan-seared chicken and toscano tomatoes. or with slow-cooked beef

braised in a chianti wine sauce. both served with our unlimited fresh salad or homemade soup and warm breadsticks. get together tonight at olive garden. when you're here, you're family. the best in nutrition... just got better. high in vitamins d, e, and b12. plus omega 3's. there's one important ingredient that hasn't changed: better taste. better taste. yum! [ female announcer ] eggland's best. the better egg. fantastic! [ man ] pro-gresso they fit! okay-y... okay??? i've been eating progresso and now my favorite old jeans...fit. okay is there a woman i can talk to? [ male announcer ] progresso. 40 soups 100 calories or less. gives you a 50 percent annual bonus.

so you earn 50 percent more cash. if you're not satisfied with 50% more cash, send it back! i'll be right here, waiting for it. who wouldn't want more cash? [ insects chirping ] i'll take it. i'll make it rain up in here. [ male announcer ] the new capital one cash rewards card. the card for people who want 50% more cash. what's in your wallet? sorry i'll clean this up. shouldn't have made it rain.

[ 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. family company. [ woman ] ♪ why you gotta be like that? ♪ don't be like that ♪ 'cause i deserve better than this ♪ ♪ did i catch you playing up like that? ♪ [ female announcer ] dry hair needs extra nourishment. introducing dove's first conditioner with a treatment of weightless nutri-oils inside.

a daily conditioner with 3x the internal nourishing power of our regular conditioner. new dove daily treatment conditioner. make friends with your hair. new dove daily treatment conditioner. [ thunder crashes ] [ snoring ] [ thunder crashes ] [ snoring ] [ male announcer ] vicks nyquil cold and flu. the nighttime, sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, fever, best sleep you ever got with a cold... medicine. ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] vicks dayquil. defeats 5 cold & flu symptoms. ♪ >> announcer: "today celebrates 2011" is brought to you by walmart. save money. live better. walmart. this morning on "today celebrates 2011," what

everyone's talking about as you hop from one holiday party to the next. you may find it challenging to keep the conversation interesting. well, the editors at ivillage.com are here to help you. >> sure are. >> they conducted an online poll to find the top conversation-starters. kelly wallace is chief correspondent at ivillage. kelly, good morning. >> good morning. >> so, you polled your readers to find out what everyone's talking about. >> we put out a ton of stories, ton of conversations and said what were the top conversations, what were you talking most about with your friends? and we have the list here. >> number eight -- we'll go up to number one -- number eight, the kardashians. >> i don't get it, but women were talking about it. they were talking about the wedding, and yes, right, the 72-day marriage, savannah. but this i'm comforted by -- 84% of the women in our poll said this is a story the media covered too much, so maybe it won't be on the list next year. >> and yet, they were talking about it. >> i know. >> so, whose fault is it? number seven on the list, we have the high-profile infidelity, so whether it's congressman wiener or arnold schwarzenegger or herman cain's accusations, a lot of people

were talking about that. >> exactly. sadly, cheating in the news, for sure. herman cain, the most recent occasion. interestingly, a lot of women in the community were talking about herman cain and were critical of him, but also critical of the woman coming forward, saying she shouldn't be portrayed as a victim. then in the case of arnold schwarzenegg schwarzenegger, a lot of conversations, women saying what would you do if you were in maria's shoes? and wienergate, a whole new word was created. it created the question is sexting cheating? what would you do? >> that's a great conversation going into a party. next up, the royal wedding. this is a happy one. >> this is a happy one, right? we all got up early, had tea and crumpets, i guess some people had champagne. the dress, the double kiss on buckingham palace. and we're all about girl power, right? girl power. but we all enjoy this modern-day fairy tale, 30 years after princess diana. pretty much everyone was saying lady di would have been so proud of kate. >> there were a lot of high-profile court cases this

year. i am not surprised to see the amanda knox case being one that people talked about and debated. >> they did, and they talked about it for years, right was this a sex game gone bad or an innocent girl found guilty based on circumstantial evidence? then when the verdict came out, the debate continued, right? and a majority of the commenters in the poll still suspicious, thinking she might have had something to do with it. >> now, the death of steve jobs really resonated with a lot of people, unless you think it's only the men who were techies and were interested. this was huge. >> 65% of the women said they were talking about this with their friends, and guess what? they were talking about it on their ipads, iphones, ipads. one person in the ivillage community saying this is the albert einstein of our generation is gone. so, he really affected women's lives, mothers' lives. >> we've got about a minute to do our last three. casey anthony, not a shocker that this is on the list. >> not a shocker, right? not a shocker. women were there and their jaws dropped, right, when the innocent verdict was read. 55% of the women in ivillage

community pretty much felt that the jury got it wrong. >> and as for the penn state abuse scandal, i'm actually surprised to see that was higher on your list than the casey verdict. >> i know, and you think of this as sort of a football story, but no. women and moms especially, these are people that they think you should be trusting, trusting them with your children. what more do you need to do? so, they had a lot of questions about the institution, how to keep our kids safe. a lot of outrage about this story. >> and you might be asking what's left? well, of course, the number one kitchen table issue for so many families, the economy. >> the economy. so sad that it's number one on the list. high unemployment, dismal jobs market. so many people talking in the community about losing jobs, not having jobs. so, hope, right? savannah, we kick it into high gear and we're not talking about this on the list in 2012. >> or we're talking about how great it is or how it's turned all. i'd love that. kelly wallace, thank you so much. >> thank you. coming up next, we'll chat with al about his new book. plus, can't decide what to get the kids on your holiday list? we'll check out the hottest classic toys of the year, and they're all under 100 bucks. but first, these messages.

hi, cutie! feeling this radiating ache everywhere. the pain was so frustrating. i found out that connected to our muscles are nerves that send messages through the body. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia -- thought to be the result of overactive nerves that cause chronic, widespread pain. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. i learned lyrica can provide significant relief from fibromyalgia pain. and less pain means i can feel better and do more of what i love. [ female announcer ] lyrica is not for everyone. lyrica may cause serious allergic reactions or suicidal thoughts or actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior, or any swelling or affected breathing or skin, or changes in eyesight, including blurry vision, or muscle pain with fever or tired feeling. common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain and swelling of hands, legs and feet. don't drink alcohol while taking lyrica. don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. i found answers about fibromyalgia. then i found lyrica. ask your doctor about lyrica today.

it's a great hd tv... shhh. don't speak. i'll just leave you two alone. [ male announcer ] the big christmas event is here. starting 8 a.m. saturday. with great deals on toys, electronics and more... the only place to go for last minute gifts is walmart. elecwhatrun...hat?re... it's the monster.... ahh, ah, no ♪ but sometimes i wonder... what's left behind? [ female announcer ] purifying facial cleanser from neutrogena® naturals. developed with dermatologists... it's clinically proven to remove 99% of dirt and toxins and purify pores. and with natural willowbark it contains no dyes, parabens or harsh sulfates. dirt and toxins do a vanishing act and my skin feels pure and healthy. [ female announcer ] purifying facial cleanser from neutrogena naturals.

the mccafé caramel mocha from mcdonald's, she's been expecting a little bit more out of...everything. with sweet caramel, rich chocolate, and smooth espresso, the simple joy of big expectations. ♪ that's been wrapped in a flaky crust stuffed with a gooey center toasted up all golden brown then given a delicious design? a toaster strudel. pillsbury toaster strudel. so delicious...so fun. ♪llsbury toaster strudel. [ 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? they're itchy, dry and uncomfortable. i can't wait to take 'em out, throw 'em away and never see them again. [ male announcer ] know the feeling? get the contacts you've got to see to believe. acuvue® oasys brand contact lenses with hydraclear® plus technology, keeping your eyes exceptionally comfortable all day long. it feels like it disappeared on my eye. [ male announcer ] discover why it's the brand eye doctors trust most for comfort. if you have astigmatism, there's an acuvue® oasys lens for that too, realigning naturally with every blink. ask your doctor for acuvue® oasys brand. be five percent more merry with the target red card, i love it! by getting an extra five percent off our already low prices. plus free shipping at target.com

♪ well, we all know that al is a born storyteller. the stories he tells and tells and tells! but over the last two years, he's released two murder mysteries turned chef turned talk show host billy breasting. >> and now he's out with "the talk show murders." al, congratulations again. >> well, thank you. >> can we just get one thing off the table? when do you have time to write novels? >> we can't figure this out. >> you're making us feel like losers. we're slackers. >> what you really want to know is why aren't you in the book? >> where's the co-anchor? >> yeah. where's the savvy, smart, female? >> i know. maybe the next one. but in this one, he happens to be bald, african-american, a little stocky. >> hmm. a little eddie murphy-like. what's the show, called "wake up america" on from 7:00 to 9:00 in the morning. something tells me this has no resemblance to your personal life. >> no resemblance whatsoever. exactly.

he's got a bit of a shady past. >> oh, you, huh? >> he does. >> it's the character. >> he's in chicago and somebody from his past turns up toes up, and he has to help solve the crime. >> and he's the suspect, isn't he? >> yeah. >> yeah, yeah. somebody always turns up toes up wherever billy blessing is. >> well, they are called murder mysteries. >> why did you want to write murder mysteries? >> well, my mom was a big murder mystery fan. rex stout. i kind of grew up reading those, whenever she finished, i would read. so i always thought it would be fun to write a murder mystery. and i didn't think about it until i got teamed up with dick lotke, who is a fantastic mystery writer. and i came up with these ideas, but he hept me get the characters from point a to point b. again, he's not to be confused with potato lotke. >> and you actually wrote this on your ipad. >> i did, i did. because i try to find time --

you know, you're trying to find time to squeeze it in, so i always have it with me, so i literally wrote this book on planes, trains and automobiles. >> that's awesome. and this is in chicago, this one. so i'm guessing there's going to be more. the hot co-anchor. >> the sassy, savvy, smart -- >> i'm seeing a trend here. >> you can kill us off. >> i was going to say, which one wants to die? >> we don't care. >> well -- >> put me in the book, i'll just be happy to be there. >> oh, there's a bus to be thrown over! very nice. >> you turned to look. >> but anyway, it's a lot of fun. the idea is these aren't gruesome murders. they're gentle, fun murders. but you know, it's kind of like, almost like "murder she wrote," you know. there's nothing gruesome, nothing grim, just kind of fun. >> can i say, your peers, huge reviews. janet ivanovic said full of adventure. and if you like crackling dialogue, a dash of celebrity and plenty of suspense, then

"the morning show murders" is an absolute must-read. roker rocks! >> and natalie morales and savannah guthrie said -- >> where are we? >> are we in the next book? yes. >> the great thing is, it's not about you guys and i love that you completely forget about yourselves and concentrate on me. >> we're very proud of you. >> thank you. >> have you always wanted to be a writer, you always loved writing? >> i have. reading has always been a part of my life so it's just an honor to be on the same book shelves as some of these other writers. >> a best-seller. you're multitalented. >> roker rocks. >> again, the book is called "the talk show murders." coming up next, classic toys at affordable prices that your kids would love to find under the tree. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

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. so with keurig, every cup tastes like it's brewed just for you. because it is. >> announcer: "today's holiday gift guide" is brought to you by target. this holiday, santa has elves, you have target.

>> this morning on "today's holiday gift guide," classic toys for kids of any age. stephanie from trendportfolio.com is here with some great suggestions at affordable prices. and as you can see, we've got a lot of exciting kids here with us this morning. >> hello, natalie. >> come on over here! >> they love to play with it. >> this is like playing with our studio. >> there you go. >> it's the classic toy. okay, nothing, i think when it comes to babies, nothing beats the balls, right? >> yes, because balls is something that's going to grow with them as they develop. so, a crawling baby that you can encourage them to crawl with these balls. they're from sassy. three sets, under $10. and that's the other good news. people spend so much money on toys this time of year, but they don't have to spend a lot. >> yeah. >> especially for older toddlers, this is a softer ball from kids preferred. it's $16, great for roly-poly, peek-a-boo, and it's not going to hurt them. >> right. with all these little things hanging, kids love to play with

the tags and textures. >> textures. so much to explore together. and we have ella tasting one right now. people always ask for 2-year-olds and -- >> toddlers. >> hard-to-find toys for toddlers. ball runs are always a safe bet. this is from early years. the pieces are just fun. and you know toddlers love to play things over and over again. it's a toy they'll go back to for a long time. >> exactly. now, blocks are something all preschoolers enjoy. it's a retro toy, but this really goes back. >> basic toy for preschoolers. >> basic. >> you talk about educational toys, this is it, because they're learning about spatial relations, problem-solving, creativity. it will be a building one day, a rocket ship the next. this is a lovely set from pbs kids, the exploration series. but if you're going old-school, we have uniblocks, and this is the one time i would say more is more. start with a basic set for $40, but during the course of the year, you can add interesting shapes. you can also bring home some of these wonderful props. >> these are adorable.

>> this is a new line called a i animalz, sets as well. >> blocks are great -- i mean, part of my son's curriculum is block-building, so -- >> that's because it is so educational. it becomes part of their writing program and building is great. >> now, a classic toy that never goes out of style. this one is huge in my house, trains. >> trains. and now we have chuggington from learning conserve giving tom the tanker a run for his money. you can get trains for about $30. our tip, don't glue it down. it's an open-ended puzzle. boys and girls should be playing with it. they can lift it with the blocks. >> create whatever they want, exactly. now, art supplies. can never have enough of them. >> make a basket. it doesn't matter how old your kids are, finger paints. girls are working with a textured paint set with interesting pieces. but for older kids, there's water colors from ebu. a great set from crayola, 150.

>> great to see the colors out like that. >> they can make holiday decorations, write thank-you notes all year long. >> something to go back to. dolls offer so much in terms of variety out there, especially with the accessories and the way we love to dress them up. >> this is a classic baby doll. this is for under $40. we love the fact that it's a multicultural collection, very sweet and they have lovely accessories. they're not very expensive as well. but i have to show you this. this is from toys "r" us. these are the journey dolls. they're $29.99 each. >> wow! >> what's really notable about this collection and what we love, they're on our special needs toy list this year because it comes with the wheelchair set. >> that's great. >> because kids with special needs should be able to play with the same toys as their neighbors and siblings and should be represented in doll land as well. >> exactly. okay, we love that. now, let's do the reverse cher aides, right? >> are you ready to play? >> let's play. >> you're not going to look. you guys are going to play. reverse chir aides is great for

families. can you see it? >> go ahead. we can't see it. >> what do you think they're doing? >> sleeping. >> ding, ding, ding. >> next? >> jumping jacks, exercising, jumping jacks. okay. taking it very seriously. >> very seriously. >> i was like -- >> looking at the clue. >> great family. >> the camera can't see -- >> amazing what your 5-year-old can do. let's get another 5-year-old in here. nice. >> challenging. >> excellent. >> stephanie oppenheim, thank you so much. still ahead, kathie lee and hoda are going to help you save on holiday meals and find out what to wear for your next holiday party. >> we're goingg% >> have a wonderful day. first, your local news and weather. >> coughing! [ terri ] my husband, hank, was always fun.

never took life too seriously. 'til our son was born... that day, he bought life insurance. now, there's no way i could send our boy to college without it. if there was one thing i could say to hank, it'd be "thank you." you're welcome. hey, hank. [ male announcer ] life insurance you can use while you're still living. you are one lucky lady. mm-hmm. [ male announcer ] learn more from your state farm agent today. good morning. it's 9:56 now. i'm marla tellez. more people were affected by that credit card scam at lucky

stores. thieves stole $3,000 from the account of a south bay blue star moms, nonprofit group that sends care packages to troops and offers services to homeless veterans. one of the moms used the credit card and swiped it on a tampered card reader. thieves were able to access the account number and began withdrawing money from the atm. >> so nonchalantly took money from the blue star moms is just disheartening. it's sickening. >> packages were sent to the troops last week as planned but the $3,000 down may mean a delivery in the next batch. very cold start to your tuesday. meteorologist christina loren joins us now to look at that forecast. good morning. >> good morning. it is cold out there this morning. 34 degrees in santa rosa just before 10:00 am. meanwhile, 40s elsewhere.

throughout the day today, crisp sunshi sunshine, another cold night with areas of fog and frost tomorrow morning. cloud also increase, area of low pressure slated to bring us showers thursday. another round late in the forecast on thursday. 60 in san jose and 57 in gilroy. seven-day outlook will show you once we get through that round of rain on thursday, a nice stretch of weather friday through monday. let's check your drive with mike. thought we would be a little warmer but it's freezing around here, too. 280 slow as well. cars starting to move much better. accident still over on the shoulder but a distraction is adding to the slowdown there. embarcadero, both directions for 101 typically congested in both directions made worse by an accident on the northbound side, distracting folks there as well. 880 past the coliseum in oakland, moving much better over the last half hour after the accident and cars cleared from lanes at the top of the screen at high street, marla. >> better news there. thank you, mike. for the latest traffic and

news updates, find us on facebook. search bay area news. ve. don't worry, tiny people. flo is a gentle giant. bundle home and auto at progressive.com.

captions paid for by nbc-universal television ♪ it's the most wonderful time of the year ♪ >> take a little moment to listen to that on this booze day tuesday this december 13th. >> who is this? >> that is our good friend 68-year-old, i can't believe it, barry manilow. he's recovering from hip surgery. it's to repair torn muscles because he has been shaking it up a long time. >> he has performed 1,000 shows in vegas.

sunday will be his 1,000th. >> last sunday was. we love him to pieces. it used to be you were a closet barry manilow fan. now everybody is out of the closet and everybody loves him. >> what's your favorite? >> my favorite barry manilow song and i hope he is recovering and watching us now. i believe it's johnny mercer who passed away. his widow allowed barry to go through his attic and a whole bunch of lyrics. he wrote the music to a lyric johnny had written called "when october goes." ♪ when october goes ♪ the same old dream appears >> i love that one. the whole thing is amazing. >> and this one is going to get your -- >> is that "copacabana ♪

>> no i can't smile without you ♪ >> look at the crew. >> we are in a small little studio, but everybody is doing it. barry makes you happy. i have to say, and i say it every time because you can never stop thanking the people that have been good in your life. barry manilow and dolly parton are the people in the industry who encouraged me most with my writing. i would send stuff to barry and he would write back. he's been awesome to me. >> by the way, i saw a trailer for a movie with dolly parton and queen latifa called "joyful noise." >> we need to see barry at radio city. he'll be back here february 10th through the 14th. i think we are in the bahamas. >> we are very busy. here is good news, you guys. there is a 2-year-old british rapper. he's a huge hit on youtube.

he's in a onesy, his dad is in a hip-hop artist. this has more than a half million hips. if you haven't seen it, you're about to see him now. ♪ >> who knows what he's talking about? you know what? it sounds like regular rap. >> i don't understand regular rap anyway. sounds the same to me. >> look how he is so focused. he's got the beat. >> look at him looking at his daddy. he's precious. >> speaking of music, you guys. if you are a fan of "the sing-off" and i know a lot of you are. the winners of season three, penatonix is downstairs.

>> i heard them singing and i said, shut up, you guys are geniuses. >> these guys are incredible. three were friends and they picked a couple from youtube. ♪ video killed the radio star >> there is no instrumental background going on there. that is what's so unbelievable. they are all doing it a capella. they are great. we'll hear them at the end of the show today. please stick around. >> there is a new phenomenon sweeping america. >> i've been doing it for a long time. >> it is called tebowing. >> there is a famous quarter. >> tim tebow plays for the broncos. he is a religious man. >> i think he would say he is spiritual. he is a devout christian guy. >> he is a spiritual guy. he leans down before games and he prays.

he's a phenom. his team has been winning like crazy. he's not supposedly the most gifted quarterback. what he is doing that a lot of others aren't doing is winning games. people decided it's a great pose. around the country people are tebowing. taking a knee. is that under water? >> yep. >> he's got his flippers on. >> all he is doing is thanking god and referencing the fact every good and perfect gift comes from him. i don't know why there is any controversy about it. >> you know what's funny? i wonder how much controversy there is. you hear there is controversy, but nobody seems to think there is controversy. >> mike lupica wrote in the news, with the sandusky thing, look at all that's happening in the world of sports that is truly horrible. we find a guy like this who is not perfect, but seems to live way says he believes, we should

honor people like that, support them and applaud them. not tear them down. we need more young heroes. >> he's obviously a great football player. he made it to the pros. when you see people who have been given more physical gifts and this guy has the heart and the soul and he just -- and they believe. >> he is a great leader, apparently. >> there are a lot of good deeds happening around this time. >> you're a good deed, hodi. >> exactly. there were a couple of stories about how people are buying things on lay-away. >> i didn't know was back. it's a good thing. it teaches you patience. >> it's back. people are hoping they can get their christmas gifts by christmas time. they are going in to pay their lay-away bill and come to find out a stranger has paid it for them. it's been happening around the country at k-mart, in california, someone paid $5,000 of lay-away tab. >> i felt i should. i was happy to do it. whoever is doing it, thank you.

they're paying it forward, like a person in a toll booth. you get up to pay your toll and they go the guy ahead did. >> i think those random acts of kindness are such great things. >> we don't have enough of them, but apparently we have too many cobblestones in rome. tell them. >> there are a lot of women tottering around in heels. the mayor was saying sometimes walking along these ancient cobblestone streets, especially for woman in heels can be dangerous. so they decided originally that they were going to try to fix it. you know what i mean? they wanted to fix it. so what happened? >> people are upset because people want to preserve the natural antiquity of this incredible place. it happened in nantucket where we used to have a home. we love the island so much. it's part of the charm of nantucket. one time they paved over the cobblestones, tourism dropped.

part of the joy of being there is knowing these stones came over on the whaling ships and all that good stuff, so they are back. they dug up all the asphalt. >> can i tell you i have so much energy these days? >> hodi is taking a wonderful drug. >> it is so good. i can't believe no one told me about it. b-12. have you ever tried it? >> don't get all ants in your pants. >> eye dropper under my tongue. i usually want to crash out in the middle of the day. ever since i started taking b-1, which is just two days ago, but i feel so good. it's weird. i have weird stamina. >> are you having trouble calming down at night? >> by the end of the day it is game over. how about this guy? this guy is ridiculous. there is a man who wanted to get time off work, a 45-year-old man from pennsylvania. >> he's going to get some. >> he decided to fake an obituary of his mother.

>> he didn't tell his mother though, unfortunately. he left that detail out. >> so he wanted paid mourning time. he was fired. he's got time now. charged with disorderly conduct. i wonder what he is going to do on mother's day. >> can we just say something we have got to get to today? >> we've been trying to get to it for weeks. >> there is an amazing thing called portraits of love. it is a terrific project. this company donates all its resources to take beautiful family portraits for people who have been in iraq, baghdad, with their families when when they are home or separately. they are beautiful family portraits. this man came home for the holidays and this great group snapped some beautiful pictures. they give them. isn't that great?

it's called portraits of love. it will be on our website. >> how about these freaky things? >> as if you can't get enough? >> there we go. >> those cake pops by starbucks, okay? >> who doesn't want to slobber over that? i want to slobber over the cast, we brought three here. >> one is especially cute. >> sara will branch out as a christmas tree seller on the streets in new york. [ gasp ] [ mom ] my husband -- he thinks it's a 3-sheeter. i say 1-sheeter. bounty can clean the mess with less. [ female announcer ] in this lab demo, 1 sheet of bounty leaves this surface as clean as 2 sheets of the bargain brand. ♪ dance cooking? bring it.

super durable. super absorbent. super clean. bounty the 1-sheet clean picker-upper. and try bounty napkins. it attends wrap parties... with the crew. there's nothing like the taste of the big mac snack wrap. but hurry. it has places to be. ♪

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. imagine a day when we can eat what we want and sleep soundly through the night. prevacid®24hr prevents the acid that causes frequent heartburn all day, all night. go to prevacid24hour.com for a $4 coupon.

in the new movie "we bought a zoo" matt damon plays a widowed father who moves in with his new children to a zoo. >> his brother doesn't think it's such a great idea. >> dump the animals, keep kelly. that's true joy. >> it's about rosy, man. she's happy here. >> rosy is 7. make her a nice zoo screen saver and she'll be just as happy. >> i'm trying to give them an authentic american experience. >> and it ends with you authentically living on my velour couch with your two children. >> thomas, colin and maggie are with us today. >> we are a little in love.

>> hi, guys. thomas, you didn't think -- if this wasn't a real story, i don't know how you could have invented it. i was surprised to learn it was a true story. >> i think that's part of the magic that is there. you could make it up, but it wouldn't have the emotional authenticity that cameron and alene found. and there you go. >> look at maggie. >> maggie, have you always wa wanted to be an actress? >> almost. my sister started acting and that's when i wanted to start doing it. >> i heard a rumor about you, on your bed, how many stuffed animals do you keep on your bed? >> 72 and i'm about to win 75 back. >> with christmas around the corner, you may get more. is there room for you to get in it and sleep? >> yes. >> colin, your character is terrific.

you play this brooding 13-year-old. you're so believable. >> thank you. >> how did you get your start? >> in acting? i was living in atlanta at the time. i was about 5 years old. it's something i always told my harn parents i wanted to do. there was an open casting call in alabama and i went for it. >> what's interesting is in this movie, you did not want the zoo. maggie, you wanted the zoo. we have a clip of the two of you with matt damon played by your dad. >> this is what you want. it's not what i want. >> what? >> it's a zoo. i'm moving to a zoo. >> we bought a zoo! >> i love it. >> it's a beautiful family fill. it does have a lot to it deeper than a g-rating would suggest.

>> is it g or pg? >> breaking news, the miami dolphins just this morning announced they fired their head coach, maggie is the new head coach of the miami dolphins. you wouldn't think she is qualified at 8, but apparently the dolphins think differently. >> was it fun working with the animals? how was that? >> especially the monkey. >> it was so much fun. crystal the monkey. >> you bonded with her. >> we both did. we all did. she was always with somebody. she was always having a great time. >> she'll groom you. >> monkeys will do that. >> that's how you know she likes you. >> she is not gentle, is she? i saw her getting aggressive a few times. >> she is gentle. sometimes she likes to tie your head though. >> were you ever scared of any of the animals? >> no. i was never scared of any of them. >> really, the tiger?

thomas was. >> did you know maggie is also the republican front-runner. you guys know that? maggie, maggie, maggie! >> what projects do the three of you have next? what is next, thomas? >> i have this big movie "john carter" coming out. a big science fiction at disney and another thing with matthew. >> i just finished a film here in new york with -- >> jason bateman. >> that's right. >> and maggie? >> i don't have anything after this except i get to go home for christmas. >> maggie, maggie! >> i've got a feeling we are going to see an awful lot of you in movies in the future. thanks for stopping by. >> it is a great movie. it hits theaters december 23rd. up next, knock on wood, sara

tries to be a christmas tree seller. [ bells dinging ] ♪ hark how the bells, sweet silver bells ♪ ♪ all seem to say throw care away ♪ ♪ from everywhere, filling the air ♪ [ female announcer ] chex party mix. easy 15-minute homemade recipes you just pop in a microwave. like caramel chocolate drizzles. happier holidays. chex party mix. but you've got a meat and potatoes guy? pour chunky sirloin burger soup over those mashed potatoes and dinner is served. four minutes, around four bucks. campbell's chunky -- it's amazing what soup can do.

four minutes, around four bucks. a vacation on a budget with expedia. make it work. booking a flight by itself is an uh-oh. see if we can "stitch" together a better deal. that's a hint, antoine. ooh! see what anandra did? booking your flight and hotel at the same time gets you prices hotels and airlines won't let expedia show separately. book it. major wow factor! where you book matters. expedia.

there's a battery that's relied on to help bring children holiday joy. of course, children don't really think about which battery makes their toy run, but, still, you'd never want to disappoint. duracell. trusted everywhere. but, still, you'd never want to disappoint. ♪bring a sweet surprise. ♪see magic in their eyes. ♪and watch their smiles sing... ♪...when they open up the bling. ♪no one does christmas, ♪like kmart does christmas. ♪kmart. smart.

time for another installment of "sara in the city" when our lovely sara takes on some of the odd jobs the city has to offer. >> this year she took off a seasonal job. >> starting thanksgiving through christmas eve, christmas tree sellers invade the city, setting up on corners, rain or shine, i decided to see what it takes to be one of the tree people. >> i'm at the rock family christmas tree stand at james street and 8th avenue. i'm going to try my hand at selling christmas trees. i think i might need a little more holiday cheer. let's try this. i was ready to meet the man behind the stand. >> welcome. >> and you are? >> billy rock. welcome to romp family christmas

trees. >> how long have you been doing? >> this is ou24th season. once we did it one year, we were hooked. >> it was time to learn the tree trade. i met billy's second in command, his son henry. how old are you and how long have you been coming here? >> i'm 20 years old and the first year i came here i was 5 months old. i've been coming here all 20 years of my life. >> i heard i'm going to be an elf at the stand today. i might have taken that invite literally. i set to wrapping my first tree. >> lift the tree and stomp it down on he t sidewalk. my tree might have bed head. henry walked me through the three different types of trees. >> important things to remember. frasier fir are the best tree. balsam is a bargain, douglas fir has a citrusy cent. >> then put me to the test. hi, welcome to our tree stand. >> what kind of tree is this here? >> this is our frasier fir.

>> what other varieties do you have? >> the douglas fir and the bchb irsom. >> balsam. >> the douglas smells good. it's got, tastes like lemonade. you don't eat it, you smell it. frasiers are our go-to. all the cool kids are getting the frasiers this year. deal. after making my sale, it was time to get the tree wrapped and ready for its new home. >> coming through. >> right hand? >> well, i don't saw often. whoa! >> i mastered a few other elf tasks like decorating. stand assembly. >> my flanges are loose, i think. of course, cleanup. >> don't you think the leaves and pine needles are part of the ambiance? >> i got to help with my first delive

delivery. >> wait for me! before heading to the corner to try to bring in new customers. >> merry christmas. >> welcome to the romp's family christmas tree lot. the weather outside is frightful. i think they are scared of me right now, but they are warming up. merry christmas. >> thank you very much. >> then the moment of truth. >> something five feet. henry! the frasiers are the best. >> why? >> because they are full, the needles don't fall. this is a frasier. that's a douglas down there. not quite a sale, but it's really all about connecting with the clientele. merry christmas. >> merry christmas. >> merry christmas. >> wait a minute. you never made a sale? >> i almost did. the guy swore he was coming back. i'm still waiting on the corner of james and 8th. >> good thing you didn't quit

your day job. still to come, the right clothes for the holidays. >> sandra lee shows quick and easy, yet decadent desserts for your party. >> winners of "the sing-off" are here. [ 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? best foods and holiday leftovers become irresistibly creamy turkey casserole. real delicious best foods. make it real. make it different. it's a gr.. shhh.

don't speak. i'll just leave you two alone. [ male announcer ] the big christmas event is here. starting 8 a.m. saturday. with great deals on toys, electronics and more... the only place to go for last minute gifts is walmart. you spend all day cooking it. so why spend even a moment considering any broth but swanson? the broth cooks trust most to make the meal folks spend all year waiting for. in stuffing and more, the secret is swanson. pillsbury holiday star cookies start with pillsbury cookie dough easy. then add my own favorite frosting and sprinkles. just three ingredients to sweet memories. holiday ideas made easy. good morning. it's 10:26. i'm marla tellez. meeting today to approve the

49ers move south and it look like san francisco won't do anything to stop it. san francisco's planning commissioner says he has reached out to mayor ed lee to keep the team in san francisco at a new stadium at center's point, but the mayor says unless the city can come up with $400 million, there's no point in keeping the team. santa clara city council will review the city's stadium plan, including the financial plan at a meeting tonight at city hall. 7:00.s a we'll check the commute and the weather right after this. h, there's a lot to get done. and safeway select appetizers help you rise to every occasion. ♪ from delectable to amazing. there are over 20 affordable safeway select appetizers ♪ to make all of your gatherings just as merry as can be. ♪ only at safeway. ingredients for life.

10:28 now. welcome back. very, very cold start making way to mild sunshine. 58 degrees in san francisco. 59 in oakland and 58 in fremont. we actually tied a low temperature record this morning in hayward, making this one of the coldest days we've ever seen on this date. 59 degrees by thursday. another unseasonably cold night to get through tonight and then we'll start to mellow out as we head toward your weekend. let's check your drive with mike. palo alto, an accident in lanes northbound 101 at san antonio. the rest of the south bay moving nicely right now. no other incidents. a quick look outside shows you the path to the coliseum, much icier drive from the coliseum up to the bay bridge toll plaza. everything is pretty much -- almo almost. >> thank you very much, mike. occupy protesters declare an

early morning victory at the port of oakland. what's next for the movement? we'll have the latest. plus, the 49ers and now the warriors? south bay's selection of sports teams could grow to include the basketball team. that's at 11:00. jon and i will see you then. the halls and get decked out. >> look for something to wear to that family dinner or christmas eve party? "elle's" creative director is with us. it's not easy to figure out what the right thing to wearing. >> the holiday season is taxing. you want to get gifts, holiday functions, you have family affairs. at some point you want to dress nice, look good and not break the bank. >> let's start with the holiday dinner, shall we? let's bring out jennifer and see what she is sporting. >> i love jennifer.

this is crystal frazier for lane bryant. it's a color block dress. it flatters every silhouette and every body type. >> i like it. you said the price point is? >> $89. she is one the designers i worked with on "all on the line." >> thanks, jennifer. that looks great. let's pretend we are going to, not a holiday dinner, but a holiday party. we have victoria. >> that's beautiful. >> a little michael by michael cors dress and sequin you can wear. >> i see that in the window. i love that dress. >> what's the jacket? >> it's a men's inspired vest from h&m. this is a great look for day and night if you have an office party. >> myself cors is affordable? >> that is $120 at lord&taylor. >> that is fantastic. >> how about the boots and little splash of color.

>> little bag from banana republic. you want a little color when you wear head to toe black. >> isn't that adorable? >> this is very flattering. >> just beautiful. >> love it. >> let's say we want to glam up more. let's pretend it's new year's eve. come on, kay. >> first of all, kay can go anywhere she wants on new year's eve. who is going to stop kai. >> his own dresses would cost $2,000 and up, this is $99. >> look at that fabric. it's beautiful. >> do you have to be as thin as kai? >> no. this dress as macy's goes all the way up through the sizes. it looks great. >> you rarely see an animal print with color. >> this is what's nice about it. >> very festive. >> how about the bag and shoes? >> we wanted to do a booty because of new year's eve.

wanted to be more comfortable, have sturdiness, but still have fun and look glamorous. >> that purse is cute. >> you want a statement bag. make a splash. >> she is a statement. happy holiday. >> so now we finished up with new year's. it's time for the brunch that comes following new year's. we have grace. >> i love it. >> her best hangover accessory, dark glasses. >> you want a little bit of glamour to start the new year. you've got jeans and shirt but throw in the cardigan with the faux fur. >> who does that? >> it's michael by michael cors again. >> i love his stuff. he's fantastic. >> the entire look under $200. >> who does that bag? >> henry bendel. >> it's got a plastic cover thing. >> so it doesn't rub off on to you. >> the boots? >> aldo. >> you know what? you nailed it, okay? >> great stuff.

>> terrific. thank you, hon. let's bring all our models out unless they can't hear us. everyone looked great. >> thank you, joe. >> we wish you a great holiday. guess who is here? sandra lee with easy entertaining tips. [ male announcer ] what's the beat that moves your heart? how about the beat of a healthy heart? campbell's healthy request soup is delicious, and earned this heart, for being heart healthy. ♪

feel the beat? it's amazing what soup can do. it attends wrap parties... with the crew. there's nothing like the taste of the big mac snack wrap. but hurry. it has places to be. ♪ i'm a dad, coach... and i quit smoking with chantix. knowing that i could smoke during the first week was really important to me. [ male announcer ] along with support, chantix is proven to help people quit smoking. chantix reduced my urge to smoke -- and personally that's what i knew i needed. [ male announcer ] some people had changes in behavior, thinking or mood, hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. if you notice any of these, stop taking chantix and call your doctor right away.

tell your doctor about any history of depression or other mental health problems, which could get worse while taking chantix. don't take chantix if you've had a serious allergic or skin reaction to it. if you develop these, stop taking chantix and see your doctor right away as some can be life-threatening. if you have a history of heart or blood vessel problems, tell your doctor if you have new or worse symptoms. get medical help right away if you have symptoms of a heart attack. use caution when driving or operating machinery. common side effects include nausea, trouble sleeping and unusual dreams. these are the reasons i quit smoking. [ male announcer ] ask your doctor if chantix is right for you. [ tea kettle whistle ] [ male announcer ] beat your worst flu symptoms. theraflu max d contains the most powerful medicine allowable without a prescription to fight your worst flu symptoms.

theraflu max d. serious power. align can help. only align has bifantis, a pantented probiotic that naturally helps maintain your digestive balance. ♪ ooh baby, (what) can i do for you today? ♪ try align today.

we are back with today's holiday kitchen with sweet and affordable treats for easy entertaining. creating elegant parties doesn't take a lot of time and money. >> sandra lee with the new book "easy entertaining." she has a new book each and every week. has delicious and stunning ideas. nice to see you. >> yes. >> what are we making today? >> in this book, one of the things i wanted to show how you can entertain or gather with friends and family, save money and enjoy yourself. a lot of people sit home and stress out about entertaining.

>> go to a restaurant if you're going to do that. >> yeah. just pay. we've got appetizers and sweets. i'm going to make a beautiful tiarma tiarmasu cream with espresso. then a beautiful iced chocolate. then white chocolate egg nog. >> look at you teasing us. >> in here is whipped cream. use the stuff from the store or make your own. heavy cream with sugar with it. this is marscapone. two seconds, lock it down. let that spin. powdered sugar, cocoa and espresso. in there, marsala and vanilla. fork that together. mix everything till it blends. >> fork it? >> it's a professional term. >> put this in here? >> yes. wet into the dry, mix that up. you've got to go harder than that.

i'll protect you. >> it doesn't matter. >> it's borrowed, no problem. >> dump it in here. there you go. give that a wiz. >> it smells great. >> there we go. there's your cream. this is what it looks like when it's done. >> it looks like maggie's. >> what do you do with these guys? >> i'm sorry, hoda. you would love this. >> premade ladies fingers, or stick it in. a little bit of cocoa powder on the top. >> i'm sorry, this might be one of the best things i've ever tasted. it's not too sweet. >> frozen hot chocolate. >> we are moving on.

>> three cups of milk. we'll put in -- what do you think this is? >> water. >> vodka. >> is that what it is? s. >> yes. >> vanilla, vodka. no ice yet. pulse this. that way the actual chocolate milk, that's hot chocolate package blends together. then you put in your ice. there's no chunky dry chunks. >> are you still talking? >> they told me you better get through this whole dang segment. >> did they use the word "dang?" >> we're drinking this. >> hoda can have this. >> i can't. >> i am begging you. >> it has milk in it. >> she'll pay later. >> it's not supposed to be that icy. >> i'm having a good time today. >> come to the back. >> more for me. >> white chocolate egg nog.

>> that's delicious, too. >> egg nog from scratch. nobody makes it from scratch. >> you get it from the carton in the grocery store. >> white rum. >> of course because you're sandra lee. what do you think this is? >> i don't know. >> not butter milk. >> oh. >> gadiva white chunk. >> everybody makes this this at the holiday season. >> hoda, you can't have anything. >> everyone enjoy. i love those glasses. >> wow! >> just a little baby sip. >> are you trying to kill me? >> a christmas gift to santa lee? >> angel cake for you. >> we have to get involved with that cake. >> i'm dying for this. >> angel food cake. you get the box mix. instead of putting in water, we are going to put in coconut water. which is what's in the middle of

the round of the coconut. >> it's supposed to be great for you, too. >> now is the icing. icing is egg whites like a merengue. you have corn syrup in there. marshmallow fluff. she doesn't care. you pick it up. >> you eat it like a donut? you are crazy. >> get in. >> i'm full. >> she deserves it. >> cheers. >> you are so right. up next we have the winners of the "sing-off." they are fantastic. >> pentatoix. a vacation on a budget with expedia. make it work. booking a flight by itself is an uh-oh. see if we can "stitch" together a better deal. that's a hint, antoine.

ooh! see what anandra did? booking your flight and hotel at the same time gets you prices hotels and airlines won't let expedia show separately. book it. major wow factor! where you book matters. expedia. we've combined conditioner with a weightless nutri-oil treatment. to give 3x the internal nourishing power of our regular conditioner. new dove daily treatment conditioner. make friends with your hair. new dove daily treatment conditioner. hershe y' new dove daily treatment conditioner. s bliss. hershe one square inch of incredibly smooth rich chocolate. one square inch of joy... fun... indulgence... one square inch of bliss. hershey's bliss.

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. so i mix together a packet of hidden valley ranch, 1 box of spinach, and 16 ounces of sour cream, and tonight everyone gets a taste of something special... ranch spinach dip. [ male announcer ] hidden valley ranch. mix it up.

♪ [ folksy whistling ]] [ man ] quitting is a fight you can't let yourself lose. it can take many tries. but keep trying, you will beat smoking. honey, you okay? yeah, i'm fine. ♪ [ ukulele ]

they can sing, dance, harmonize and put together a respectable arrangement in minutes. pentatonix is from texas. >> they took home the gold microphone in season three of nbc's "the sing-off." they are featured on the album "the sing-off of the season." >> scott, kirstie, kevin, avie. >> what do you sing, soprano? >> you three are the original members of the group. how did you track down these two? >> we found kevin on youtube. he has a viral video of him playing cello and v-boxing. >> and avie? >> i met through a mutual friend in an a capella group in college. >> you guys are so terrific. what are you going to sing for us? >> a medley of songs. a justin bieber song and "silent

night." >> here they are the pentatonix! ♪ silent night ♪ holy night ♪ all is calm ♪ and all is bright ♪ round yon virgin mother and child ♪ ♪ holy infant so tender and mild ♪ ♪ sleep in heavenly peace ♪ sleep in heavenly peace ♪ oh oh oh yeah

♪ it's the most beautiful time of the year ♪ ♪ lights fill the streets spreading so much cheer ♪ ♪ i should be playing in the winter snow ♪ ♪ i'm going to be under the mistletoe ♪ ♪ i don't want to miss out on the holiday ♪ ♪ but i can't stop from staring at your face ♪ ♪ i should be playing in the winter snow ♪ ♪ i'm going to be under the mistletoe ♪ ♪ you ♪ shining with you ♪ under the mistletoe ♪ everyone is gathering around the fire ♪ ♪ chestnuts roasting like a hot july ♪ i should be he chilling with my folks ♪ ♪ oh no ♪ i'm going to be under the mistletoe ♪ ♪ reindeers flying through the skies so high ♪ ♪ i should be making a list i know ♪ ♪ i'm going to be under the mistletoe ♪

♪ shining with you ♪ with you ♪ shining with you ♪ under the mistletoe ♪ hey low ♪ wise men follow the stars ♪ the way i followed my heart ♪ and led me to a miracle ♪ hey low ♪ don't you buy me much ♪ i am feeling wise ♪ on my lips ♪ that's a merry merry christmas ♪ ♪ shining with you ♪ where you ♪ under the mistletoe ♪ bring it down now ♪ it's the most beautiful time of the year ♪ ♪ lights fill the streets ♪ spreading so much cheer ♪ i should be playing in the winter snow ♪ ♪ i'm going to be under the mistletoe ♪ ♪ i don't want to miss out on the holiday ♪

♪ but i can't stop staring at your face ♪ ♪ i should be playing in the winter snow ♪ ♪ but i'm going to be under the mistletoe ♪ >> oh, my gosh, you guys! what musicianship. that was spectacular. >> sensational. >> i can't wait to see what you all do next. cute choreography there. we'll be back with more of "today" on nbc. ♪ [ ukulele strumming ]

♪ [ folksy whistling ]

[ man ] quitting is a fight you can't let yourself lose. it can take many tries. but keep trying, you will beat smoking. honey, you okay? yeah, i'm fine. ♪ [ ukulele ]

there are so many children living in difficult situations this year. some from families who have fallen on hard times, others abused and neglected. >> we feel so privileged and blessed to work on this show and reach so many wonderful viewers who help make the holiday brighter for these children through our annual toy drive. >> karen from hasbro has greater

gifts for older kids and teens. >> she has the best job in the world because she is head of the philanthropy division of hasbro. >> what are you going to give away? >> creo, our new building block product. the first time kids can build their own transformers. >> kids are going to love that. >> we are giving my beautiful friend here, my little pony, celestial and simon flash and other products. >> so many favorites. >> how many will you guys be giving? >> $150,000 worth of toys, but overall we are helping about 400,000 kids this christmas season. >> that is amazing. >> that is incredible. >> you sleep well at night, don't you? >> i do. we have great employees who care deeply about giving back. obviously, our customers. they buy hasbro brands.

we are able to do what we do. >> thank you and many blessings. >> our toy drive continues through december 21st. come down to the plaza and donate in person or go to the website. s> tomorrow, the alm.e to guide to calm. >> the best mail order food for the holidays. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com

♪ takes everything you've got ♪ wouldn't you like to get away? ♪ ♪ ♪ sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name ♪ ♪ ♪ you want to be where you can see ♪ ♪ our troubles are all the same ♪ ♪ you want to go where everybody knows your name ♪ ♪