pleasanton to the south bay. back to you. >> thanks for the update. we'll have local updates starting at 7:25. good morning. breaking news. at least two people are dead in alabama as powerful storms spawn a number of reported tornadoes across the south. searching for more potential victims. next stop florida. newt gingrich riding a wave of momentum from his victory in south carolina into florida's winner-take-all primary as mitt romney launches a harsh attack on his main rival labeling him a failure and a fraud. and super sequel. the new york giants and new england patriots set for a rematch in super bowl xlvi after

a thrilling victory and the agony of defeat. all roads lead to indianapolis today, monday, january 23, 2012. captions paid for by nbc-universal television good morning. welcome to "today" on a monday morning. 7:00 a.m. on the west coast. i'm matt lauer. >> good morning. i'm savannah guthrie. don't gloat too much for the west coast. a tough loss for the 49ers. >> i watched these games. i was screaming. big day for the giants. big rematch coming up. and all i can say is i felt so bad for billy cundiff, field goal kicker for the ravens. >> it's going to be a long off-season for him. i think everyone's heart

collectively broke for him when he missed that field goal. >> by the way, people are talking about the super bowl and also steven tyler's performance before the patriots game. more on that in just a little while. >> if we still have our hearing. >> he's a rock 'n' roller. >> he is. he missed some of the words. just saying. we'll get into all that. meanwhile, we've got a serious story to start the news off. a dangerous day in mississippi all the way to ohio. severe storms are battering that region. >> the damage is so widespread around birmingham, alabama, that searchers are going door to door to find people who may be trapped in the debris. al will have details on that. also, "30 rock" star tracy morgan rushed to the hospital overnight after falling unk at the sundance film festival. the latest on his condition. and a race against time to save a texas family of three who were on a sightseeing plane when that plane crashed into the ocean. coming up, the dramatic rescue by some good samaritans.

we'll fautalk to one of the survivors. those deadly storms in the south. al's here with the latest. >> it's a strong cold front that has been triggering thunderstorms and tornadoes, damaging tornadoes. they started off in arkansas leveling barns and towns -- or i should say buildings. and now they've moved into alabama and are pushing into georgia. birmingham, alabama, this is just part of suburban birmingham where we have at least two people killed in the birmingham, alabama, area. a 16-year-old boy, an 82-year-old man. this in jefferson county. this damage you're looking at is at center point, alabama, which is northeast of birmingham. as these systems have pushed through, we have a severe risk of severe storms from louisiana all the way to atlanta. as this system pushes in. and as you look on the radar, we've got a severehunderstorm watch. and i should say now a tornado watch for central alabama till 11:00 a.m.

in georgia till 4:00 this afternoon. we could be looking at anywhere from dangerous lightning, winds and gusty hail. so we are going to be really watching this over the next 12 hours. matt? >> we'll get your local forecast coming up in just a moment. thank you very much. now to the battle for florida as the gop presidential race heats up on the heels of newt gingrich's big win in south carolina. nbc's peter alexander's live in tampa for us this morning. hi, peter. >> reporter: matt, good morning to you. after getting badly beaten in south carolina, as you mentioned, mitt romney hustled down here to florida. he's already been advertising in this state, spending millions for much of the month. and a senior adviser on his campaign tells me again this morning that you can expect romney to be more confrontational to ramp up his rhetoric, specifically against newt gingrich going forward. just moments ago, he referred to gingrich as being highly erratic and bouncing around like a pinball. a similar line to what he's been using on the campaign trail. looking to capitalize on his

south carolina win, newt gingrich arrives in florida today, focused on momentum and money. >> in florida,my case will be very simple. you have a clear establishment candidate in mitt romney. and you have somebody whose entire career has been a reagan populist conservative going all the way back to the 1970s. >> reporter: on twitter gingrich boasted he raised more than $1 million in less than 24 hours and asked supporters to donate more to help him deliver a knockout punch. >> this is a decision point. >> reporter: mitt romney is looking to the sunshine state for a comeback. and wasted no time tearing into gingrich. >> what's he been doing for 15 years? he's been working as a lobbyist and selling influence around washington. >> reporter: appearing on "meet the press" earlier, gingrich again denied that. >> i was not a lobbyist. i was never a lobbyist. i never did any lobbying. don't mix these things up. the fact was i was an adviser strategically. >> reporter: during our interview romney ridiculed that. >> if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck it's a duck.

>> reporter: what is it about gingrich's character that makes him unfit to be president of the u.s.? >> he was speaker of the house for four years and then was investigated by an ethics panel. unprecedented. the people who knew him best where he was responsible for leading, actually rejected him, reprimanded him and he left in shame. >> reporter: after weeks of being coy about whether he'll release tax returns. >> maybe. >> reporter: romney finally announced he'll make public his 2010 returns and an estimate for 2011 tomorrow. there are no surprises. >> there are no surprises. nothing in the financial disclosure forms. that's why we said, hey, get it out there soon. >> reporter: romney's son put out this photo of his father doing laundry. do you ever see photos or images like that and say, maybe i'm trying too hard to look like an average guy. >> everybody knows i'm not an average guy. financially. i've had extraordinary success. >> reporter: are you doing your laundry on primary day? >> we do our laundry at least once a week because we'll be on the road for 30 straight days.

who else do you think is going to do our laundry? >> reporter: this state doesn't vote until january 31st. also, we heard mitt romney's wife perhaps trying to preempt against their personal wealth saying that the romney family knows where its riches are. that the riches in the family are with the health and the strength of their children and grandchildren. matt? >> all right, peter alexander in tampa, peter, thanks so much. david gregory is moderator of "meet the press." chuck todd is political director and chief white house corresp d corresponde correspondent. he's in tampa. guys, good morning to both of you. >> good morning, matt. >> good morning. >> david, let me start with you. so in that piece we hear that newt gingrich is saying he raised more than $1 million in less than 24 hours following the win in south carolina. i know that money's going to come in handy. do we have any idea how much it's going to cost these candidates now that this campaign has taken this dramatic turn? how much they're going to spend in the state of florida? >> well, it's what they're going

to spend, but what the super pacs on their behalf are going to spend. that's what's going to be tremendous. if you're gingrich, you're still relying on these debates. paid advertising has got to play a role, but he's really got to rely on momentum taking him into florida at this point. i don't think he can go toe to toe with mitt romney, funds out of his own campaign and his own super pac to really make an impact. >> chuck, i was watching you as part of the roundtable on david's show yesterday. one thing that struck me in that room was how few people seemed to give newt gingrich a realistic chance of winning this nomination. and i know the pundits have counted this guy out on a couple of occasions before. is that a little bit risky? >> well, i think you're right, it is a little risky because when you look -- when you look at where the republican electorate is, they're looking for a conservative. they're not looking -- yes, they're looking for the most electable canned date, but they're really looking for a conservative. that's where the party is today. mitt romney hasn't successfully made that case.

with gingrich, though, you hear all of this backroom chatter that there is going to be this whatever it takes to, quote, stop gingrich. a stop gingrich movement. because you have members of the house leadership who think, look at gingrich, what he did when he was essentially on the ballot in '96 and '98. he helped re-elect a democratic president and almost cost the republicans the house when he was in charge. there is this panic that they could lose -- not just lose the presidency but lose control of the house and actually blow their chances at picking up the senate. that's why this panic that there will be the establishment will just do whatever it takes to stop him, even go find a new candidate. >> david, because of momentum, tonight's debate takes on more significance. it's safe to say that mitt romney is wounded after south carolina. what do you expect to hear from him in the debate? >> well, i think peter alexander's report and his interview were quite telling. this is a different romney. mike murphy, republican strategist with me yesterday, said romney is in a corner with

a broken bottle in his hand. the difficulty for romney is that this is not a campaign or a candidate who's been defined by that willingness to really fight in the course of the campaign. he's not really in that fighting shape. he's going to have to be, and he's going to have to be soon. he's got to draw some bright contrast. he's up against something powerful here. whether gingrich can pull it off, he's running as a populist. that's really the calling card of the kind of the grief-stricken right right now. that element of the conservative party. and that's what he's going to have to contend with in these debates and in florida. >> chuck, the issue of his tax returns, mitt romney will release them tomorrow. does that take it off the table as a subject during the debate tonight? >> a tiny bit. you heard gingrich himself to david on "meet the press" saying that it may take it off the table. but let's see what's in there. you know, what is it that was in these tax returns that made mitt romney say at a debate, hey, you

know, i'm going to be running -- i'm worried about beating president obama. what is it that he's worried about? what's in there? so i think there's something to that. and he is only releasing two years. when you go even by the president bush standard when he was candidate bush, he had released ten years before he had taken the oath of office. so this isn't fully going away. but it does sound like gingrich is willing to have it go away for a little while, at least in what he told david. >> chuck todd and david gregory, thank you very much. just a remind are for our viewers, see the nbc news republican debate tonight at 9:00/8:00 central on a special edition of "rock center with brian williams" here on nbc. it's 11 after the hour. here's savannah. >> breaking news tied to that cruise ship disaster off the coast of italy. nbc news has confirmed two more bodies were found by rescue divers this morning raising the death toll to 15. nbc's michelle kosinski is live with the details. michelle, good morning. >> reporter: hi, savannah. yes, they just located two more victims. both thought to be female.

but there's still the question of how many more remain. they think around 20 and a possibility that more people could have been on that ship whose names were never registered. divers are determined to keep going. even as fuel removal efforts could start as early as tomorrow. what happened in those last moments on board the concordia become more evident with each victim found. on sunday, a woman wearing a life jacket was recovered from a deck just above where passengers were told to gather to board lifeboats. searchers say she may have tried to run up higher on the ship as it tilted into the water. saturday, another was found near the same area also in a life vest. but a surprise to officials, she may be a hungarian woman whose name doesn't appear on any list of passengers or crew. how many others there may be unnamed is unknown. the families of the unaccounted for including the son and daughter of americans barbara

and jerry heil gathered together on this island. their distress evident on their faces as they comforted one another. there was a church service in the same place where survivors came that night. the families met with rescuers, thanked them personally. the ceo of costa cruises was also here. >> he came. he came to see the families, all families. he met the french family. he met american families. i'm sure he's meeting with other families. mostly to express his compassion to the families. >> reporter: in italy, the concordia disaster is debated endlessly. they are asking if the captain is the only one to blame. talk about italian bravado and work ethic. "it's not him himself who worries me. it's the schettino in me." they pulled his luggage and safe from the depths. the media said they persuaded him to talk to them after the

accident suggesting he saved lives in his maneuvering of the ship. he agreed, he needed to make a decision in a moment under pressure with cool-headedness, adding, "we were the last ones to leave the ship." which we now know was not the case. and the search for victims goes on. you know, this island was inhabited in the stone age. and was an important roman trading point, the site of many shipwrecks. technology changes a lot of things, but some risks obviously remain exactly the same. savannah? >> michelle kosinski in italy, thank you very much. >> so difficult for the families who don't have answers. let's go over to natalie at the news desk right now for the headlines of the morning. natalie, good morning. >> and good morning, matt and savannah. good morning, everyone. an outpouring of emotion on the penn state campus after the death of legendary coach joe paterno who lost his battle to lung cancer. nbc's ron allen is in state college, pennsylvania, with more. ron, good morning.

>> reporter: we are here outside the football stadium where joe paterno and penn state enjoyed so much. his statue is over there. it's become a shrine with people stopping by to light a candle, leave some flowers, or perhaps say a brief prayer. and everyone here is trying to focus on what paterno accomplished rather than the sexual abuse scandal that led to his downfall. ♪ thousands from the penn state community gathered in the heart of campus to honor a man who perhaps more than any other individual made this university what it is. >> we are not just athletes. we're not just students. we are a reflection of who joe paterno was. >> reporter: joe paterno was here for 61 years, 46 as head football coach, racking up a record 409 victories. while putting academics before athletics. >> people ask me why i stayed here so long. and you know what? look around. >> reporter: a legacy of

greatness. >> joe paterno with the life that he was blessed with has blessed each and every one of us in our own special way. >> reporter: tarnished by the sexual abuse scandal centered around his longtime assistant jerry sandusky that led to paterno getting fired. in hindsight, he said he wished he had done more to intervene. >> after 61 years, he deserved the benefit of the doubt. the circumstances under which in the end happened, sad. sad for everyone. >> reporter: the official cause of death is lung cancer. but many people here say they think a contributing factor is the fact that paterno was so heartbroken by what's happened here during the past few months. sometime today we expect to hear from the family and the university about funeral arrangements and a memorial service. natalie? >> ron allen in state college, pennsylvania, thank you, ron. arizona representative gabrielle giffords will resign from congress this week. she made the announcement sunday in a video posted by her campaign saying she needs to focus on her recovery.

>> i don't remember much from that horrible day. but i will never forget the trust you've placed in me to be your voice. >> and giffords will meet with supporters at a public event in tucson today and attend tomorrow's state of the union. it now costs more to mail a letter. the u.s. postal service has raised the cost of a first-class stamp by one penny to 45 cents. now let's head to wall street and cnbc's mary thompson is at the new york stock ex-changes. mary? >> this week investors are awaiting a decision on interest rates from the federal reserve as well as earnings from the likes of oil giant exxon mobil. this morning their attention has turned north to canada. that's where the co-ceos of research in motion have stepped down. the shake-up coming as the maker of the blackberry hand-held devices lost its once dominant grip on the smartphone market to the likes of apple's iphone. back to you. >> mary thompson, thank you.

"30 rock" actor tracy morgan was rushed to the hospital last night in utah. tmz released a photo of the ambulance arriving after morgan tmz had a photograph affidavit ambulance arriving after morgan fell unconscious at the sundance film festival. he was suffering exhaustion and problems with altitude. no word on his condition. and the super bowl matchup is set. it will be giants and patriots again four years later. lawrence tine kicked the field goal in overtime to cinch the title over the 49ers. it was a field goal miss that dashed the super bowl dreams of the baltimore ravens. losing to the new england patriots 23-20 in the afc. a lot of us are bleary-eyed but it was worth it. back to matt, savannah and al. great matchups. >> and condiff is a really good field goal kicker.

she's shown great skill under pressure. >> i think that's why the other players were stunned. >> stunned. >> i feel terrible. >> let's never play that video again. i can't bear it. >> natalie, thank you very much. how are you, mr. roker? >> tired but happy. weather played a big role in the game with the 49ers and giants. you can see the frt.on that's the one triggering severe weather through the southeast. snow behind it. rain moving into the pacific northwest. northern california with snow through the rockies. freezing rain in upstate new york into new england. also some freezing rain as well through the virginias. >> good morning to you. i'm meteorologist christina loren. we have pretty strong showers moving through the east bay, a live look at sunol. you see dangerous driving conditions. this morning. plenty of time and those showers will continue o come down in the east bay, likely for the next half hour, hour, but that system is moving

fast. residual activity continues into this afternoon, highs today in the 60s, though, clearing by noon over the greater bay area. it all works out like this. 60s by friday. and that's your latest weather. matt? >> now the alleged mastermind behind one of the internet's biggest and most lucrative schemes. kim.com appeared in court as new details emerged about his li lifestyle. stephanie gosk is in london with details on this. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. with controversial legislation that hopes to cut down on internet piracy, supported by nbc universal, the fbi is cracking down. federal prosecutors have arrested one of the information superhighway's biggest criminals. kim schmidt, a computer master mind best known by one of his other names, kim dot com.

the world wide web made kim dot com a wealthy man. addicted to cars and everything else in the fast lane the 37-year-old likes to call himself dr. evil. >> if you're happy -- >> reporter: he founded the most popular file sharing website mega upload. but the u.s. government says most of what was shared on the hong kong-based site -- movies, music and books -- was pirated. even though the company was promoted by music superstars who were among those it was allegedly stealing from. >> this is kanye. i like mega upload. it's the fastest, safest way to send files. >> reporter: thickering a legal battle with the music group which represents west. the fbi shut down mega uploads and asked new zealand authorities to arrest dot com who was living lavishly in a sprawling mansion.

police say it wasn't easy. >> they found him huddling in a panic room clutching a sawed off shotgun. they had to cut him out of the room. >> reporter: prosecutors believe he has illegally earned $175 million and caused a half a billion dollars in damages to copy right owners. a charge that the defendants vigorously deny saying most of the content uploaded was legitimate. this isn't the hacker's first run-in with the law. he was found guilty of insider trading and embezzlement in his native germany. far from a low profile the married father of three had in your face decadence with yachts, fast cars and women. >> the photos on his website are ridiculous. crazy photos of him doing things. >> reporter: over the weekend the bank accounts were froze and cars seized including a pink cadillac and a $400,000 rolls

royce phantom. now the man who likes to boast he's smarter than bill gates faces extradition to the u.s. in one of the biggest criminal copy right cases of all time. the defendants were in court today for a bail hearing in auckland. defense lawyers say he doesn't pose a flight risk. one of their arguments at 6'7" weighing over 280 pounds how could he flee undetected? matt? >> stephanie, thank you. just ahead, the daring rescue of a texas family caught on tape after their sight-seeing plane crashed into the ocean. their story in an exclusive live interview first, this is "today" on nbc.

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>> and the woman acquitted of murdering her husband after claiming she suffered years of abuse. we'll talk to her after your local news. >> good monday morning. 7:26 now. i'm laura garcia-cannon. 49ers fans recovering this morning from the heartbreak of last night's game against the giants. the loss in overtime was a huge disappointment to the hundreds of fans who gathered at pete's tavern. fans told us despite the loss they are proud that the niners came so far. exceeding expectations but the loss hurt just the same. >> trying hard to hold the tears back. it was a good season but man. they blew. we had it. it was our game to win.

>> across town at a bar calls aces giant fans celebrating. many of them live in san francisco and said as happy as they are for the giants they are proud of their hometown team. we all are. i want to check the forecast with meteorologist christina loren. >> good morning. we've got really heavy rain coming down from san ramon through dublin all the way to livermore. all part of an area of low pressure which is right now starting to pull out of the bay area. the actual core is crossing over us. and so yeah, a lot of instability, gusty winds in addition to that. future cast shows you we'll be done mostly with the rain by about noon. a few cells between 9 and noon and then we'll clear out throughout the afternoon. best chance for showers down through the south bay over the local mountains. we continue to let your futurecast run. by this evening you'll drive home with a better scenario, finally getting a break from showers, turning mostly sunny later on and highs end up in the 60s. that 61 degrees by wednesday.

let's check your drive. >> an update for the south bay, 280, the accident blocking three lanes has cleared to the shoulder. slowing in both directions. northbound 101 at hellier, the car that ran into the wall, still as the scene active, slowing 85 to 680. 580 to 680 for the altamont pass. 680 slows there. castro valley, more slowing likely because the conditions demand it. be careful out there. back to you. >> thank you very much. for the latest traffic and news updates check out nbc bay area on facebook.

7:30 now on a monday morning, january 23, 2012. a little warmer weather on tap for the northeast after a chilly and snowy weekend in the new york, new england area. just what the doctor ordered for our friends on rockefeller plaza. meanwhile inside studio 1a i'm matt lauer alongside savannah guthrie who's in while ann is taking time off today. just ahead, are you a sucker for a buy one get one free deal? >> every time. >> really? they get you? >> free refills, too. >> maybe you skip your yearly check-up to avoid a costly

deductible. a lot of people do things thinking they are saving money and what they are doing could cost them money in the long run. so we'll have advice on how to avoid those things coming up. >> i will be listening. and a rather surprising celebrity split. heidi klum and seal will be separating after seven years of marriage. details on that. >> they have three or four children? >> four, three biological. >> if it seems like tv is getting raunchier that see's bee it is. curse words are on the rise in television shows catching the attention of parents. what should you tell your kids if they copy the language they hear on television and at home. pop culture in general, music, movies, et cetera. >> the whole society. we begin this half hour with a tropical getaway for a family from texas that turned into a

fight for survival when their sight-seeing plane crashed into the ocean. we'll talk to a survivor coming up. first, their harrowing story. >> the texas couple was flying with their 4-year-old son when the plane crashed. miraculously, kind strangers were in the right place at the right time to pull off an amazing rescue. a plane ride through paradise for the atkins family. they were hoping to enjoy the sights along the coast of roatan in the caribbean off honduras. andy atkins had flown in the same plane just months before. >> it was an awesome, fun ride. great views, great pictures. a low flying plane that felt very stable. >> reporter: last week, with his wife generaljenny and 4-year-ol logan along, something went wrong. >> we lost an engine and crashed into the ocean, flipped over.

we were stuck under water. >> they're all out. >> reporter: larry forsyth was on a nearby boat when he saw the crash. >> holy -- >> reporter: his son paul captured video of the dramatic rescue. >> we all dove in and swam just as quickly as we could. the timing was impeccable. we were just at the right place at the right time. >> reporter: only moments before, the plane's pilot helped andy get to the surface but there was no sign of andy's wife or son. >> i dove back under looking for them. didn't find them the first time. came back, got air, went immediately back down. i just came up and had logan in my arms and by the time i got to the surface, jenny was also at the surface with the pilot holding her. we were all still in shock at that point. you know, we knew we had survived the initial crash. but we didn't know where it was going to go from there. >> reporter: remarkably, a u.s. navy doctor and another physician were among the divers who risked their lives to save

the family. >> they screamed there were two doctors on board. they got them on the back of the boat, got them oxygen, treated them with all their skill. >> reporter: the entire family spent days in a hospital before returning home thursday night. >> it reaffirms your faith in people and humanity that so many people stepped in to help that didn't have to. >> reporter: the atkins are already planning another trip to roatan and said the accident brought them closer to the island and the people there. savannah a? >> amy, thank you. andy atkins is with us now exclusively. good morning to you. >> good morning. >> i know you just returned from honduras. you and your family spent time in the hospital. how are you all feeling today? >> we're out of the hospital. we're getting better day by day. >> this was a low flying plane. as you mentioned it was for the purpose of sight-seeing. as i understand it, this happened really fast.

what do you remember about the crash? >> really, all i remember is i didn't know we were going to crash before it happened. i looked out the window, out the side of the plane and could see the ocean and the reef. i guess part of me thought it looked a little close. then really the next thing i knew i was upside down in the water, still strapped in. wondering what happened. it took me a second of talking to my brain, you know, to realize, wow, we really crashed. you're not dead. but you've got to get out of here before you drown. >> you say the pilot actually helped you get free of your seat belt. you came up for air and then what was your first thought? >> well, i want to point out that mr. brown, our pilot was in the accident, too. he did everything he could to get us out of the plane. he helped me out. when i was fumbling with the straps and got me to the surface first. as soon as i got there i asked what happened. he said, we lost an engine. he said, where's my wife and kid. he and i started diving down.

the first time i couldn't find anything. quickly came back up, dove down again. by that time i think he had helped my wife get out. she pushed the baby with her last bit of consciousness to me. as i brought him to the surface there she was, too, at the surface almost at exactly the same time. >> there you are in the water. already miraculous you survived the crash and you get another lucky break. some people in the area came over with a boat and rescued you, right? >> people from a parasailing boat raced to the scene as fast as they could get there. they were the first boat there. larry forsyth, retired air canada pilot of vancouver, canada, and tranquility bay resort in honduras dived in to save us. his cousin of cold lake, canada, dived in. but the first one in the water was a man named cooney, a local man from honduras. he was the first one in the water. he's the one that took my boy

from me and got him out of the water. >> andy, you are blessed indeed. >> i love you, cooney. >> another boat had doctors on it. is there any doubt in your mind that the care helped save your lives? >> my wife and son, i'm not sure what the outcome would have been without the doctors. i shudder to think. they were the second boat that came up. their captain and crew were outstanding. fortunately they had two doctors -- a doctor from montreal, canada, dr. mark arsenault. [speaking french]. >> and a united states navy doctor who asked to be named as a u.s. navy physician. they treated them the whole way. >> you're blessed indeed. what an ordeal for you. we're glad your family is okay. thanks for being with us, sir. we appreciate it. >> thank you. >> now let's get a check of the weather from al.

>> today's weather is brought to you by robitussi, n. relief made simple. >> good morning. we have friends here from florida. you flew here for $98? where from? >> milwaukee. >> wow! thanks for coming. >> they are getting slammed in california, the pacific northwest. blue mountain, california, they need chains on to get into the mountain passes. they have snow plows out and there is more winter weather where that came from. as far as today is concerned and the week ahead, going to be rainy, above normal temperatures in the st. below normal out west. seeing more snow in the mountains, rain along the coast. midweek period, things warm up there. much above normal to above normal conditions in the east. above normal in the pacific northwest where it will be wet. as we get to the ladder part of the week rain continuing in the east with lake effect snowshowers below normal in the pacific northwest throughout

texas. >> good morning to you. well, it's mostly dry over the greater bay area. we have heavy rain rolling through livermore, also dublin getting hit hard. we'll continue to see showers as we head through the next couple of hours. by about noon looking to mostly clear conditions over the greater bay area, the highs in the low to mid-50s. 58 in milpitas. 52 for dublin and san francisco will get up to about 59 degrees. this is the last day we deal with the rain. thursday and friday, temperatures warming up. hope you have a great day. we got a newly minted 13-year-old here and a sweet 16 over here. but you're holding the sign. very good. all right. let's go back to weather.com and weather channel for anything you need weatherwise, 24 hours a day. >> thank you so much. up next, seven things people do to save money that can end up costing them more over the long haul. plus, heidi klum and seal

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you by fidelity investment. turn here. we're back at 7:43. this morning on today's money, what people do to save money that can backfire down the road. "today" financial editor jean chatzky is here with ways to avoid being penny wise and pound foolish. people think they are making a decision that will save them money and it comes back to haunt them later. let's start with insurance deductibles. they can be expensive so people say, i will avoid going to the doctor for regular check-ups so i don't pay that little bit every time. >> absolutely. as co-pays and deductibles have gone up we have seen it happening more and more. with the eye doctor, the veterinarian and the dentist which is worrying. that's the window. >> you save money now but -- >> you cost yourself in bigger procedures later. >> you mentioned something at the veterinarian.

don't forget. that's the same thing with your pets. once they have big problems that's a big expense. >> it absolutely is. >> when you go to credit cards and get these offers and see them all the time. i get them a lot in the mail. they give you a thing saying if you sign up for this credit card we'll give you a discount early on. >> it sounds great. but the minute you don't pay that bill immediately, you're going to start pag interest. interest on store credit cards is high. it can go up to 30%. so you immediately give that discount right back and it can ding your credit score. >> if you're a person who pays your bills in full, is it worth it? >> i don't think so. again, adding those credit cards to your wallet can take your credit score down a notch which can cost you more money for everything that you borrow. >> this next one is important. let's spend time on this. when times are tough, people have to make choices. they prioritize. they allocate where their money

goes. you have beaten it down a number of times over the year. you've got to have an emergency fund. people are not a having an emergency fund at the sake of something else. >> at the sake of the retirement fund. when we put money in the emergency fund we are learning less than 1% interest. the money in the retirement account grows for the future. plus if your company offers matching dollars and you are not getting them you're leaving free money on the table. you've got to do both. >> you say if you have a choice, plan for the thing you know is coming and that's old age. >> right. retirement is coming. we have talked so many times about the fact that most people aren't going to have enough for retirement. you need a little bit in the emergency fund but you've got to put the pedal to the metal for retirement. >> you have the same item at different price points. a lot of people to save money

get the cheapest item. >> and they get the expensive one when the cheaper one fails them. be careful. >> when is a sale a good idea to take advantage of and when is it a bad idea? >> if you would have bought the item if it were not on sale you're in smooth waters. otherwise, make sure you're going to use it up. >> buy one get one free? >> any of those sales do a number on our brain. they sucker us in. be careful you are buying things you need anyway. >> what about people who drive miles out of their way to buy cheaper gas. >> the folks at wisebread.com did this calculation. it costs us a dollar for every seven miles we drive on average. keep that number in your mind. if you're going out of your way and not saving more than a couple of bucks it's not worth it. >> jean, good advice. up next, a surprising split for seal and heidi klum after this.

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it's not always shocking to hear about a celebrity break-up but a lot of people were surprised to hear about the end of seal and heidi klum's marriage. >> they have four children together including klum's daughter from a previous

relationship. they have renewed their views every year on their an verse isry in may. in a joint statement sunday they said they have grown apart, decided to separate after much soul searching. >> apparently it's amicable. one little complicating factor is she does have a seal tattoo on her arm which she's taking steps to adjust and she'll be a spokesperson for posturpedic mattresses. sealy? get it. >> that was a long time to get to it. >> it wasted time so we don't have to talk about the marriage. his stimulant medicine was helping, but some symptoms were still in his way. so the doctor kept eric on his current medicine and added nonstimulant intuniv to his treatment plan. [ male announcer ] for some children like eric, adding once-daily nonstimulant intuniv to their stimulant has been shown to provide additional adhd symptom improvement. don't take if allergic to intuniv, its ingredients,

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try nourish plus haircare. only from aveeno. >> good morning to you. 7:56 now. i'm laura garcia-cannon. san francisco sheriff ross mirkarimi returns to court to set a date for trial. mirkarimi faces three misdemeanor charges related to an alleged case of domestic violence against his wife. last week he pleaded not guilty to those charges. the sheriff has been ordered to stay away from his wife and son in the meantime. the mayor has asked mirkarimi to consider whether he can continue to do his job effectively with the legal issues he is facing. the trial is expected to take place sometime in march. >> time to check the forecast with meteorologist christina loren. >> good morning to you. we have strong showers rolling through the east bay, you see that embedded yellow and red.

heavy rain coming down from discovery bay all the way through livermore, make sure you travel cautiously. as we head throughout the day, high pressure will regain control of our pattern. we have to wait until the second of the day for the sun. but once it does temperatures are going to be on the climb. starting tomorrow all the way through thursday. we'll see gradually rising temperatures, a mix of sun and clouds and fog each morning. so it all workings out like this. temperatures in the upper 50s, down through the inland cities, then you'll see a little mix between the low to mid-50s, by the bay, and the coast. and a.m. fog returns thursday. fog in the forecast by friday, 64 degrees, warmest day of the week. let's check the drive with mike. >> the peninsula really slowing down now, both directions of 101 north of 92 slam jammed between the airport and the highway 92, the san mateo bridge, slow westbound, the commute direction for that span and the wind advisory has been lifted but we're still advising. northbound routes out of the south bay show slowing, 85, 280

and 87. a look at 680, sloppy through sunol. like that in many spots. >> sure is. be careful as you head out. for the latest check out nbc bay area on facebook.

we're back now at 8:00 on a monday morning. it is the 23 we're back now at 8:00 on a monday morning. it is the 23rd day of january, 2012. getting jabbed in the head with this umbrella savannah is holding here. >> do you know how this works? >> i'm not holding the umbrella. what are you talking about? >> it's not raining. it's nice. if these people can be here without umbrellas we can do the same. >> i'm sorry. >> that's all right. i have another eye. it's a little blurry. matt lauer along with savannah guthrie and al roker. coming up, a dramatic story that made a lot of headlines in this area. >> it did.

barbara sheehan shot her husband 11 times in their home in queens, new york. she said she had no other choice after suffering years of abuse at his hands. she said she feared for her life. she was acquitted of murder, but she still faces jail time. we'll talk to her about that exclusively in a few minutes. >> also we'll talk about the new rules when it comes to cursing, especially on television. a lot of people have children watching television. it seems more and more these days you're hearing some of the words you never would have heard in years past. for example, when you get jabbed in the eye with an umbrella. >> yeah. >> how do you deal with this when your kids are watching? what do you tell them and what should people programming television be doing about it? >> you showed self-restraint. we didn't even have to bleep you. >> and you have a relationship with your pediatrician and it's gone for a while. >> it's important. >> it is. what if after a while it's not working and you have to break up with your pediatrician? we'll tell you what you need to do and how to go about it.

>> it's hard, especially if you have the pediatrician's name tattooed on you somewhere. >> don't bring it up again. that joke was terrible. >> i keep trying. let's go inside. natalie standing by with a check of the headlines. >> good morning, everyone. newt gingrich is campaigning in florida ahead of tonight's republican debate. backed by a surge of momentum from saturday's south carolina primary victory. gingrich appealed on twitter for donations so he can deliver what he calls a knockout punch to mitt romney in next week's florida primary. meantime romney agreed to release his tax returns tomorrow and is accusing gingrich of selling his influence around washington. you can watch the republican debate tonight at 9:00/8:00 central on a special edition of "rock center" with brian williams on nbc. one day after announcing she'll resign this week arizona congresswoman gabrielle giffords attends her final official event today. she'll finish the tucson meet and greet that erupted in gunfire last year.

leaving six people dead and 13 wounded including giffords. tomorrow night giffords will attend president obama's state of the union address. it's been more than two months since florida mother michelle parker vanished after an appearance on "the people's court." now video may offer more clues. nbc's kerry sanders is in fern park, florida, with more. kerry, good morning. >> reporter: good morning. detectives are following multiple leads, none of which so far has solved the inexplicable disappearance of michelle parker. they believe they may be getting closer now with the new videotape. in this newly released security camera video, the last known image of michelle parker, just three hours before she disappeared. >> i have been doing pretty good. you know? but when i saw that, it makes me cry. >> reporter: you see parker visiting an orlando fast food restaurant. police released the video friday. her 34th birthday.

it was last november when the mother of three appeared in a taped episode of "the people's court" with ex-fiance dale smith. >> he said he wanted his ring. so i took it off and i threw it at him. >> reporter: the day the show aired she pulled into this drive-thru. those are the decals from her tanning business on the side of her suv. the next day her vehicle was found in a parking lot with the decals removed. police called dale smith the primary and only suspect. smith hasn't commented. his lawyers say he's not involved in parker's disappearance. >> if he's so innocent, take the lie detector test. what's the big deal? what do you have to hide? >> reporter: as the search continues, parker's family hopes this latest video leads to a break in the case. >> you just always have to have hope somebody knows something, and that somebody will remember and call. i hope they do. >> reporter: detectives believe it will now be somebody who knows something that gives them

a tip that ultimately helps them solve this crime. natalie? >> kerry sanders in fern park, florida. thank you. now for a look at what's trending today, our quick round-up of what has you talking online. legendary penn state coach joe paterno is a top search on yahoo and facebook as fans debate his legacy. as we reported earlier, paterno died sunday from the lung cancer that was diagnosed just days after he was fired over the child sex scandal involving a former assistant. paterno was 85 years old. a story we mentioned earlier also trending on twitter. users are tweeting surprise over the break-up of "project runway" host heidi klum and singer seal after seven years of marriage. in a statement the couple say they have grown apart. on friday seal tweeted the message "the end." and you being the judge. facebook posters either love or hate steven tyler's version

of the national anthem. ♪ and the rockets red glare ♪ as bombs bursting in air >> the aerosmith frontman with ties to the boston area was cheered by the new england crowd. it is now 8:06. now back outside to matt. i like it. >> i love steven tyler. natalie, thank you very much. now over to al for an update on serious weather down south. al? >> at the top of the program we told everybody about severe storms rolling through alabama. we have been talking to emergency management officials and in jefferson county, alabama, we have at least two confirmed fatalities. a lot of damage down there. we'll continue to watch the situation. tornado watch in effect in central alabama until 10:00 a.m. u. we go to the wide view of the s. satellite and radar, you can see the long line of showers and thunderstorms stretching toes the great lakes dn the gulf coast. back behind it, we have snow developing. rain, mountain snows in the pacific northwest.

with a lot of wind. rain down to california today. freezing rain in pennsylvania. new york into new england. we have the risk of strong storms down through the southeast. good monday morning to you. tracking heavy showers on the rolling through the tri-valley east bayos regio. we've pretty good her rain fall on the way to brentwood. showers are clearing out, heading into the central valley. throughout the day today, it looks like 11:00, 12:00, dry and clear over the greater bay area with lingering showers through the south bay. throughout this afternoon, temperatures are going to be on the comfortable side, upper 50s. seven day in moments. and that's your latest weather. matt? >> coming up next, a woman facing five years behind bars though she was acquitted of murdering her husband. ae'll speak olu esixcve i luxclisive live interview right after these messages.

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came after relentless abuse in their 24-year marriage. while sheehan was acquitted, she still faces time behind bars. in a trial that lasted exactly one month, barbara sheehan's defense team painted a picture of endless abuse at the hands of sheehan's husband, raymond, a former new york city police sergeant. barbara sheehan claims she finally tried to escape one day, taking one of raymond's guns for protection. but when raymond reached for another gun to stop her, sheehan said she shot her husband 11 times, using both guns. barbara sheehan's sister called 911. >> what's the emergency? >> i don't know. someone has a gun. her husband -- he hit her. >> he has a gun? >> no, no. he's gone. >> reporter: barbara sheehan testified that the evening before the killing raymond sheehan threw boiling pasta sauce on her and punched her in the face, a story supported by her children who also testified

on her behalf. >> he was going to kill her. she acted in self-defense. >> she had no other choice. she protected her life and mine and my sister's as well. >> reporter: after three days of deliberation a jury of nine women and three men found barbara not guilty of murder. >> barbara's defense artfully created a case of self-defense, of battered woman's defense through the history of abuse in this case because they believe she's the victim. >> i thank god they believed in me. i'm going to spend time with my family. >> reporter: sheehan who has already spent time in prison during trial may face more time behind bars. while she was acquitted of murder and one gun possession charge the jury found sheehan was guilty of a second gun possession charge. >> barbara was convicted because she took raymond's gun and continued to shoot him while he was on the ground, while that imminent danger was now gone and therefore that was an illegal act. >> reporter: a judge sentenced

sheehan to five years in prison, more than the mandatory minimum sentence. her family and defense team are outraged. >> i think if you're a battered woman, move some place else if you expect to get help. because you're not going to get it here. >> sheehan's husband had supporters in the courtroom. raymond's twin brother vincent called the decision a bad verdict. in a victim impact statement raymond's sister-in-law said the jury lost sight of the victim in the crime. it was not barbara sheehan. it was raymond sheehan. barbara is appealing the five-year sentence for gun possession. >> barbara sheehan is here with her children. good morning to you all. >> good morning. >> you are out on bail right now while your appeal is pending. the judge sentenced you to five years. are you concerned that you are going to have to go back to jail? >> is yes, of course, that's a major concern. i also believe that we have a

good appeal, a good appeal team and i'm just hoping for that. >> when we talk about what happened here, i know you think for people to understand what happened on that day, february 2008, when you shot your husband they have to understand your marriage and the years you spent in that marriage. what was the abuse you claim you suffered at the hands of your husband? >> various types of abuse. psychological, emotional abuse, physical abuse, black eyes, scars on my face, stitches, hospitalizations. it's just unbelievable. >> you know there are people listening who might say, well, why didn't you leave? >> well, it's very difficult to leave. first they manipulate you. so at first it starts with a push or a shove and they apologize, bring you gifts. before you know it you're involved. also it's difficult in my situation because he would tell me all the time, who are you

going to call -- the police? he was the police. >> let's talk about that day in february 2008. you say he was angry because he wanted you to go with him on a trip to florida and you didn't want to. you say he pointed a gun at you. what happened next? >> i had come upstairs. he had taken one of his guns and had pointed it at me and said he was going to kill me if i didn't go to florida with him. i had been in contact with a domestic violence group. they told me the only way out, because the situation i was in was so dangerous i had to save money and disappear. what i was doing at that point was trying to save money. i had the money in my bedroom. when he pointed the gun at me, i went to my room to get the money and his other gun was there. >> when you walked past him in the bathroom he was shaving. you say he then pointed the gun at you again? >> i do believe he was shaving. i'm not 100% sure he was. he pointed the gun at me again. i ran down the hall, got the money and i got the gun that was

laying there, his gun. >> the issue in the trial seemed to be the jury believed you. they said it was self-defense when you shot him the first few times but the issue was you then grabbed the gun he had ethics to him and shot him again. a total of 11 times. what's your response to the prosecutor's allegation that you were still shooting him long after the danger had passed? >> no. that's not true. it wasn't after the danger had passed. he was attempting to get up. he was still cursing at me, telling me he was going to ef f'ing kill me. evidence trying to get up and any time he chased me -- he was a lot bigger than i am. he always caught me. the danger was still there when i picked up the second gun. >> i will bring in jennifer and ray. you grew up in the household. do you have any doubt about the story your mom tells? >> no. absolutely not. she'll telling the truth. if anything, it was worse than anybody could imagine.

it's worse than what people see. >> did you witness, ray, this abuse growing up? >> primarily it was my father abusing my mother. my whole life was witnessing this happening. >> did you fear for your mother's safety? did you fear for her life? >> definitely. >> every day. >> ray, i know when you went off to school you were worried something like this might happen. >> definitely. i always thought it would happen the other way around. but i never thought it would happen like this. >> i wonder how your life is now. you are back at home. you're in the same home that you have this marriage in. is it hard to be there? >> at first i thought it would be hard. but it's actually no longer a house. it's now a home. that's very important. >> i know you can't turn back time. if you could do you wish there had been a different outcome?

do you wish you would have been able to leave as opposed to what happened here which is he died? >> oh, absolutely. i'm very sorry for what happened. i do wish i would have been able to leave. unfortunately a couple members of his family did know what was going on and they never even came in to help out. >> very quickly, jennifer and ray, your father's family says he's the victim here. do you agree with that? >> i would like to say something about that. i think we are the only ones that know what happened in that house. for anyone to say that we're lying is a total guess. so that's the worst thing someone can do. they're guessing that we're lying. that's a terrible thing. >> barbara, jennifer and ray, we appreciate your time. we know it's noteasy. >> t easy. >> thank you. >> we'll be right back after this.

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new rules for airline travel. the department of transportation is implementing change this is week designed to protect you when it comes to tickets, baggage and service. here with details, features director for travel & leisure magazine. nice to see you. >> good morning, matt. >> this is the second phase of a set of rules. the first phase went into effect in august. what do they entail? >> the first set of rules were important ones as well. there were three main rules. the first was there was the maximum four-hour tarmac delay allowed for international carries. prior to that the controls were not used for the international ones. >> right. >> the second one was an increase in compensation for passengers who were getting involuntarily bumped, up to $1,300 which is a substantial amount, more than what was happening beforehand. third and also importantly, international and domestic carriers would be held to the same standards when it came to customer p ser is vis.

>> now we are talking about airfares, baggage and service. say you go to book a domestic flight after the new rules go into effect. what's the big difference you will see? >> you will get a little sticker shock. but the thing that's important is transparency doesn't mean highway robbery in this case. the airlines aren't charging you more money. they are being more transparent about what they are charging you. if you're going to book a flight from new york to l.a., today the flight would cost you $278. in a couple of days on thursday the same flight will come up as $299. >> they haven't raised the fare. they are including taxes and extras. >> the reason is the d.o.t. has the new rules and the administration hopes this means airlines and passengers will have better relationships. >> when i look at an international flight, for example, in new york to london today it's advertised at $572. this one jumps a lot. >> it jumps $190. now that's substantial if you're

thinking about a family of four traveling. in fact, these mandatory fees account for as much as 20% to 30% of an international flight. when you think about it, it's big numbers but the important thing is you're not being overcharged. this is what you were being charged already. you're just clear on it when you're booking. >> and another involves how long you can hold a reservation without paying for the ticket. >> the airlines made over $1 billion just in the first half of 2011 on just these cancellation fees. this is important. you're able to not only hold for 24 hours without paying but also a cancel without paying. as long as your flight is a week or more in advance of when you're booking you have flexibility which is huge for passengers. >> what's huge for airlines is baggage fees. they made $1.5 billion on baggage fees in the first half of 2011. what are the changes here? >> the changes are you are still

going to be charged baggage fees. however, it has to be clearly stipulated on the airline's website. and the main point is that you are not surprised when you get to the airport and you have last-minute additional fees you weren't expecting to pay. >> finally there will be changes in terms of what airlines have in terms of service. what are the changes? >> we all feel we don't get treated well by the airlines. nothing worse than showing up on the day of your flight, realizing the flight has been cancelled or delayed and you weren't notified. this happened to me and a lot of people last winter. in the case of delays, after 30 minutes you have to be notified. if the flight will be changed or there is a deviation you have to be notified within 30 minutes. >> the bottom line is starting the end of the week, the consumer will have much more information at his or her disposal before making choices in air travel. >> absolutely. it's all about empowerment, transparency and protection. >> all right. thank you very much. good to see you.

just ahead, whern and how t fire your child's pediatrician. after your local news. good morning to you. it's 8:26 right now. i'm laura garcia-cannon. police will answer questions about a deadly officer-involved shooting. police will explain what happened when an officer shot and killed suspected kidnapper tri le on friday. officers say le forced his way into a home in san jose early friday morning, kidnapping an 11-year-old girl. they found tim that afternoon holed up in an nearby apartment. le began shooting at police, and officers returned fire. le was killed at scene. the young girl is back home safe with her family. time to check the morning commute with mike.

>> lawyer ra it it hasn't been super heavy but a rough one. we have an accident at hess, and that's an issue which has windy, wet conditions throughout the area. highway 4, 680, 24, off the interchange, going through the caldecott tunnel very slow. 580, 880 through oakland, 880 at marina causing slowing in the northbound drixz. live look shows you what things are loike at toll plaza. metering lights turned off. meters itself around the bay. back to you. >> thank you very much. for the latest traffic and news update, check out nbc bay area on face back. i'll have another local news update in a half hour. have a great monday morning. [ female announcer ] they've been off limits to dieters

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we are back now at 8:30 on a monday morning, the 23rd day of january 2012. kind of a mess here in rockefeller plaza. we have overcast skies. it's been drizzling off and on for the last many hours. thanks to those folks for braving the weather on a chilly monday morning. i'm matt lauer here with

savannah guthrie who's here while ann takes some time off. natalie morales and al roker join us as well. coming up, how to deal with the breaking off of a very important relationship for parents. >> a relationship you have with your pediatrician. of course it's important but are there occasions when you should consider severing that relationship? if so, how should you go about it? dr. nancy is here with good advice for parents. >> also speaking of good advice for parents a lot of us have dealt with the bad language we are hearing in movies, tv, songs. how has cursing crept into society and what impact is it having on kids? we'll talk about that as well. >> also to protect yourself from identity theft. we'll let you know what documents and bills you should shred. not just tear up, but shred every month to keep your identity safe. >> before that can we please say good morning to monica potter, one of the stars of nbc's "parenthood."

>> hi, how are you? >> we feel like we know you. >> nice to see you. hi. hi, al. nice to see you. i have my hand warmer. you guys are smart. >> where are your gloves? >> in l.a. >> we apologize because you wanted to do this interview on the couch with everybody on the sofa. what was the deal with that? >> i just like you. >> we know it's about matt. >> we brought you out in the rain. >> i'm from cleveland. this reminds me of home. it's good. >> cleveland. >> yeah. >> "parenthood" is so popular and people relate to the bravermans. it feels like a reality show. >> it does. it feels like a reality show at times because sometimes we go off book, you know. we all relate to each other as a family in real life. it's a blessing. >> in this show, a lot of people

also relate to the fact that your son has asperger's. dealing with a special needs child a lot of folks relate to. >> more than i -- it's overwhelming. it's such a joy to bring this awareness because it's out there and it's prevalent and so many families deal with it. >> are you hearing from those families? >> oh, yeah. i have a lot of friends with autistic children. just to see how they interact with each other, it's just touching and i hear about it every day. it's just, i'm lucky. >> a lot of responsibility then as well. the show deals with real life issues. we saw this past season dealing with the stresses on the marriage that you get through. >> oh, yeah. >> dealing with financial hardship which you're getting through. is that part of the goal of the show to be as real and true to life? >> as real as possible. our writers are so great.

they have families themselves. they deal with this themselves. i don't know about the infidelity -- not to say anything. >> is that coming up? >> no! >> we hear you have the perfect talent for this which is the ability to cry on cue. you're crying all the time in the show. >> i know. my kids are like -- i'm really jovial in real life. i like to hang out and have fun, make jokes. so i cry. >> she's crying because she doesn't get to sit on the couch with matt. >> no, it's all good. >> good to have you here. let me remind our viewers to catch "parenthood" tuesdays at 10:00/9:00 central time on nbc. >> let's check your weather. again we are talking about rough stuff down for our friends in the southeast where we have had deadly tornados striking. also a lot of rain in california, southern california into the pacific northwest with mountain snows there. freezing rain sections of new york, new england into pennsylvania. tomorrow, still lake effect

snow. look for strong storms in southern texas. more rain in the pacific northwest. sunny and mild in the southwest with mountain snows in the central rockies. good monday morning to you. i'm meteorologist christina loren. tracking heavy downpours rolling through the east bay. live look at su sunol, slick conditions. live with radar, you can see what happens leftover of the showers and thunderstorms, clearing. most of the activity pushing into the central valley. that's going to leave us with sunshine today. highs in the upper 50s. 57 degrees in san jose. tomorrow, even warmer. and we stay dry through the weekend. and don't forget you can get your weather day or night on the weather channel on cable or weather.com online. shut the front door, savannah! >> the perfect segue. we are talking about all the curse words in our pop culture.

first, this is "today" on nbc.

back now at 8:37. back in the 1970s george carlin told us there were seven words you could not use on television. four-letter words are popping up on everything from reality shows to sit comes. what are the new rules of cursing? >> because you [ bleep ] to mexico [ bleep ]. >> you had to -- >> when you turn on the tv these days don't be surprised to hear this. >> i don't give a [ bleep ]. >> reporter: or this. last week at the golden globes even meryl streep let one sleep. [ bleep ]. >> oh, my glasses! i'm going to have to remember my speech. i can't believe i said [ bleep ] on tv. >> reporter: it's not just tv. one of the hottest songs of

2011. ♪ [ bleep ] you >> reporter: people are watching what's in a viral video whose title we can't say. >> shut up! >> the language is more explicit than it's been since the '60s. we have a more casual lifestyle than we have had. i think the language use reflects it. >> [ bleep ] nothing. >> look here. i don't like that kind of talk. >> reporter: we may not like it but language once reserved for cable shows like "the sopranos" has gone primetime. in fact, the major networks including nbc have taken the issue to the supreme court asking for more lenient fcc rules. a recent episode of "modern family" caused an uproar when 3-year-old lily used a certain four-letter word. >> daddy! [ bleep ]. [ gasps ] >> reporter: the parents television council accused the story line of being in poor

taste in just the latest example of obscenities used on network tv. according to their research, use of a bleeped f word during primetime has increased from 11 instances in 2005 to 276 in 2010. parents are split. >> i think it's tough as the parent of a 7-year-old. i have to watch what he's watching. >> honestly, i have two kids. i don't think it's bad. it desensitizes them. >> how do children learn the language? they learn it in the backyard. little kids are language vacuum cleaners, especially emotional language. responsibility falls on the parents to monitor what their children are watching. >> an entertainment journalist and "today" contributor. jennifer hartstein is a family psychologist. good morning to you. >> good morning. >> is pop culture driving this or is pop culture mirroring society as it is today? >> it's a symbiotic

relationship. you see cursing in music, cable, on the reality shows but it's a reflection of what's going on in the real world and in the '60s and '70s we wanted an idealized version of a modern family. now we want a realistic version and in reality little kids curse. >> on television when someone curses it gets attention. is it about attention, ratings, dollars and cents? >> it's all about ratings and telegraphs that you're with it, edgy. you don't want somebody saying "oh, fudge" when they're going to murder somebody. you want the f-bomb. >> as a parent of three kids when you want to download music they are requesting and look to see how times the word "explicit" is next to a song. it's unbelievable. >> it is. you're more likely to see the word explicit than not these days. >> is the horse out of the barn in terms of pop culture in

television, music and movies? is there a way to reverse the trend? >> the box is open. no way to put the lid back on. i think in 10, 15 years it may be worse on television. >> as parents, our kids are watching the shows, listening to music and hearing the words on a routine basis. how do you deal with it? >> it's important to model at home. you have to model what you want them to do. they don't learn it as much from tv if they are watching age appropriate television. by 11 or 12 they know how to use the words in an adult way. you have to start 2, 3, 4 modeling what's appropriate. as a parent you can't say those words. if you slip, keep moving because as soon as your kid knows it's a problem they will keep saying it. >> i'm lucky because my kids do not use them as a course of normal language. when they hear someone else use it it gets a giggle. they put their hands over their mouths. in that situation, what do i say? >> it's a perfect opportunity to

say, yeah, that was a word we don't always like to say. let it go. don't make it a big deal. >> when we tell kids that polite people don't speak that way and they look -- >> they look at you and say, yes, you do, dad. >> or they see a movie star come out and say that it seems like a mixed message. >> it is. this is part of the problem. there is a hypocrisy involved here. we have to say, you know, everybody slips sometimes. this isn't something we want to do all the time. let's come up with alternatives. >> in terms of where you have a choice and your kids are watching television and listening to music you have to be a police officer. >> you have to be vigilant about what your kids are consuming pop culturewise. it's a dirty world out there. it won't get cleaner soon. >> change the channel, say no to the music. you can only protect them in your house because you don't know what they're doing in other houses but do the best you can. >> ladies, thank you very much. >> that was a clean segment. >> i appreciate it. >> we kept it clean.

>> up next, unhappy with your child's medical care? dr. nancy explains when and how to fire your pediatrician. we'll talk about that. first, this is "today" on nbc. -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. ♪

♪ back now at 8:46 with parenting today. choosing the right doctor for your kids is one of the most important decision parents make. what should you do if you're not satisfied with the care you're receiving. here with advice on when and how to switch pediatricians is dr. nancy snyderman. >> hey, savannah. >> good morning. >> good morning. >> this could be awkward. is it common where parents feel they have to fire the pediatrician? >> probably not enough. things can happen including hurting your pediatrician's feelings. there is something about being blackballed in the community. >> in the doctor community? >> maybe doctors will say, don't take savannah guthrie. she's a pain. >> is there a doctor meeting?

>> no, they don't. but there is a paranoia that it will happen. i don't care if you're a doctor patient or a regular patient. there is this intimidation of the physician so too many times we don't separate when we should. >> what's the most common reason people part ways with their pediatrician? >> a real screw-up. if a pediatrician misses a diagnosis and a family loses faith in the doctor and they move on. too many times people enter into relationships with pediatricians without doing their homework. i say to young people if you're thinking about getting pregnant look for your pediatrician first. figure out if you like that person. if the doctor you're looking for isn't around who will cover? is the front office staff nice? does the whole place feel right to you? use your gut. too many times we get into relationships and it's like anything else. you think, oh, why didn't i check it out? >> or listen to my gut. i will throw scenarios with you.

say the pediatrician isn't listening to your questions or is putting down your questions or acting like they are not important. is that a fire-able offense? >> big red flag. or did you not pay attention to what the doctor said? most physician offices has call centers in the morning. are you calling at 4:00 when you should call between 7:00 and 10:00? have the parameters right. time to get a divorce. >> what if you feel your child is seeing the physician's assistant much more than the doctor. is that acceptable? >> doesn't bother me at all. as health care changes nurses and physician assistants are increasingly important for well baby care. if there is a concern you have a right to see the doctor. >> what about the front office staff? if you feel the nurses in the front office are gate keepers. is that understandable given the demands on a doctor's time? >> my pet peeve in a doctor's office are the sliding glass

windows that separate you from the physician and office staff. i think they are a real barrier. whether that person is nice, whether your call is answered or you are put on hold, can you get in reasonably, the front office staff is a reflection of the physician. too many times the doctor doesn't know if the front office staff isn't nice. let your doctor know. too many times they don't know. >> say you are going to break up with your physician. should you say something to the doctor or do you avoid the confrontation? >> depends on your personality. some people slink away in the night. other people want to sit down and an explanation why. you have a right to the medical records. have a plan b. know where you will go afterward. have a pediatrician lined up for a good exit strategy. >> what's the questions to ask the new pediatrician? >> everything you didn't like about the old one, ask those questions first. >> all right. dr. nancy snyderman, thank you very much. >> you bet.

>> still ahead, steps to take to protect yourself from identity theft. first, this is "today" on nbc. i want a baby. a baby? but we were gonna see the northern lights in alaska.

and go spelunking with the guys. yeah, i said it-- spelunking. [ whirring ] and i still haven't built one of those fighting robots. come on. it's pretty awesome. okay. just a few things we need to do first. [ laughs ] [ announcer ] before you make your leap, make a list. then get going in the completely redesigned cr-v. all new, from honda. this morning on leonard's look mike leonard takes us on a trip down memory lane to an old school inci school institution that's still going strong. >> reporter: behold this grand

entrance to another era. this battered back door portal to a time when shop keepers serviced what they sold, when telephones were answered by humans, and when paperwork was done on paper. some of it kept on spikes, some in time-worn cardboard file boxes, and some -- my goodness, what a curious way to keep and sort phone numbers. >> it works! >> reporter: just as well today as it did 80 years ago when jim and john first opened the wilmette bicycle shop. their sons al, jim and larry now run the business in the same fashion out of the same very old-fashioned freestanding destination store. the type of retail establishment that wasn't supposed to make it in this internet shopping big box age. >> that's correct, yeah. on paper this should not work. >> reporter: not only is it working it's thriving. the funky back door repair room

entranceway, a glowing, unpretentious signal that this place is not only about selling stuff. >> we gain trust that way. >> reporter: some people come just for advice. some for a small favor. >> thanks! >> reporter: some to reminisce about their days as one of the hundreds and hundreds of young boys and girls who worked their way through school in a shop that taught them how to work with people. really work with people. a lesson not often emphasized in newer, bigger stores. >> the personal service, you can't beat. >> it's all about service. customers are number one. >> reporter: yes, this bicycle and sports shop is cramped and crowded but nobody's complaining. >> it's easier for me. there are always people to help you. >> reporter: sure, the low ceiling in the basement, bicycle showroom calls for awkward crouching but -- >> i don't mind. the information and service you

get makes it worth it. >> reporter: as for the supposed hassle of climbing the creaky stores to the second floor attic stock room, nobody seems hassled. >> no. it's terrific. >> i love it. i go up there all the time just to do it. >> you live with what you have at times, keep the costs down. >> reporter: they have made efforts to address some of the building's cosmetic issues, but even in that regard when it comes to change they don't like to rush things. >> until last year we had 100-year-old wallpaper going up the stairs. we finally decided to paint it. seriously. >> why change if it works? >> reporter: now if only more places worked this way. >> such a throwback. >> reporter: this doorway into the past, a pleasantly disorienting sight for a newcomer stepping inside. >> people say, ooh, it's the

wrong entrance. no, no. that's our best entrance. >> reporter: for "today," mike leonard, nbc news, wilmette, illinois. >> as we were watching that each of us said, i know a store like that. >> my town is full of them. mom and pop shops. it's great. i love supporting them. >> too often people think of progress and think, okay, we're doing well we have to move into a bigger location, spanking new. it loses something. >> it absolutely does. it's a throwback. >> a monument to organization. i bet if you asked the owners where anything is they could find it in five seconds. amazing. >> pretty cool. like your dressing room. cluttered but you can still find stuff. we had a place in connecticut, bruce park sports that was in a tiny space. they got bigger. still cool. >> it's steiner sports in new york. >> good old fashioned hardware stores. up next, the difference between the cold and the flu. >> don't worry, matt.

we don't have it. up next your local news and weather. good monday morning to you. 8:56 right now people laura garcia-cannon. the heavy rains we've seen making quite a mess in one oakland neighborhood. crews have been clearing debris near the intersection of oak wood drive and wild current way

since saturday. 50 feet of roadway slid down the hillside, on to another street in the neighborhood. despite the big mess, people can drive through the area, in spite of the detours. want to check the forecast now. back with meteorologist christina loren. >> good morning to you at home. yeah, we have a good-looking cell south of discovery bay. overall you can see the storm is pulling out and showers are coming to a close. in fact, by noon today we'll see a mix of sun and clouds. temperatures climbing into the upper 50s. warm-up starts tomorrow. kicks into high gear by friday. have a fantastic tuesday.

last week we objected to further cuts to higher education as proposed in the new budget. and views agree, begona pushes for an oil ex-track tax to generate $3.5 billion a year and all money would go to education. on the college profess, it's appalling how education is on the back burn somewhere not a priority for our government. eve writes, these cuts will give further trouble to community colleges. and for those who say low graduation rates justify cuts to community colleges a group explained, students drop out for

many reasons. the majority are economic. they can't afford to continue their hours of work change or they have to get a new job. we hope you'll share your views at nbc editorials.conbceditoria. we're back with more of "today" on a monday morning, the 23rd day of january 2012. it's not the best morning out there. a little damp. kind of chilly as well. but we thank these people who stuck around all morning long. inside the studio i'm matt lauer along with savannah guthrie and al roker. ann is off today. coming up, a tropical getaway for a texas family turned into a fight for survival when their sight-seeing plane plunged into the ocean. we'll hear from one of the survivors coming up. they were extremely lucky that

some very smart and willing people were nearby. >> yeah. some of them were doctors. they were incredibly blessed. also, if you feel the scratchy throat, a stuffy nose it could be a cough, the flu or is it a cold. why it matters to know the difference. we'll tell you how to take care of both. don't just toss all that junk mail into the trash. you should be shredding some of those items first. we'll tell you which ones and what else you should know about protecting yourself from identity theft. >> do you do it? >> i do. >> do you shred things? >> i'm hit or miss. i have a shredder but i get l y lazy. yes and no. ish. >> that worked out nicely. >> i could go on and on. >> like talking about savannah, why spending time apart could be vital for staying together. >> do you think there are problems in this relationship? >> i think so. we'll share secrets to a long-lasting and loving relationship. >> i love you, guys. what are you doing after the

show? >> let's go shred. >> al and i are going to do something. let's check on the top stories from natalie morales at the news desk. >> i'll get coffee with you. good morning, everyone. we begin with severe weather in the southeast this morning. the storm system is making its way across alabama into georgia. tornado watches and warnings are in effect. there are early reports of at least eight tornadoes touching down in alabama and at least two deaths are being blamed on the storm. the region should expect hail, heavy rain and damaging winds. on sunday there were at least 21 reports of tornadoes. ten in arkansas where homes were ripped apart and trees fell on cars. a tropical getaway for a family from texas turned into a fight for survival when their sight-seeing plane plunged into the ocean. "today" national correspondent amy robach has more on the story. >> reporter: good morning. the texas couple was flying with their 4-year-old son when their plane crashed but kind strangers happened to be in the right place at the right time and

pulled off an amazing rescue. a plane ride through paradise for the atkins family. they were hoping to enjoy the sights along the coast of roatan in the caribbean off honduras. andy atkins had flown in the same plane just months before. >> it was an awesome, fun ride. great views, great pictures. a low flying plane that felt very stable. >> reporter: last week, with his wife jenny and 4-year-old son logan along, something went wrong. >> we lost an engine and crashed into the ocean, flipped over. we were stuck under water. >> they're all out. >> reporter: larry forsyth was on a nearby boat when he saw the crash. >> holy -- >> reporter: his son paul captured video of the dramatic rescue. >> we all dove in and swam just as quickly as we could. the timing was impeccable. we were just at the right place

at the right time. >> reporter: only moments before, the plane's pilot helped andy get to the surface but there was no sign of andy's wife or son. >> i dove back under looking for them. didn't find them the first time. came back, got air, went immediately back down. i just came up and had logan in my arms and by the time i got to the surface, jenny was also at the surface with the pilot holding her. we were all still in shock at that point. you know, we knew we had survived the initial crash. but we didn't know where it was going to go from there. >> reporter: remarkably, a u.s. navy doctor and another physician were among the divers who risked their lives to save the family. >> they screamed there were two doctors on board. they got them on the back of the boat, got them oxygen, treated them with all their skill. >> reporter: the entire family spent days in a hospital before returning home thursday night. >> it reaffirms your faith in people and humanity that so many people stepped in to help that didn't have to.

>> reporter: the atkins are already planning another trip to roatan and said the accident brought them closer to the island and the people there. natalie? >> so incredibly lucky. amy, thank you so much. today the european union voted to adopt an oil embargo against iran over its nuclear program. on sunday a u.s. aircraft carrier sailed through the strait of hormuz which iran threatened to close. fireworks, lion dances and family reunions mark the lunar new year being celebrated among asian-americans today. the dragon is an extremely good omen of strength and luck. hospitals are bracing for a dragon baby boom. vampires took a bite out of the weekend box office. "underworld awakening" finished on top with $25.4 million. george lucas's "red tails"

debuted in second place and "contraband" dropped to third. five minutes past the hour. now to al with a special guest. >> thank you so much, natalie. we'll get to our guest in a moment. let's see what's going on as far as the weather is concerned. we have severe stuff from louisiana all the way to atlanta. we have a risk of strong storms. we have tornadoes and severe thunderstorms cropping up already and they have been going on all night. we have a severe thunderstorm watch, central alabama until 10:00 a.m. central time. another watch nowis cropping upn georgia as well. so this is severe weather that has had a history of tornadoes starting to fire up. rainfall amounts not a big deal. we're talking anywhere from an inch to maybe two inches of rain. but the big problem is the risk of tornadoes, strong winds and damaging hail. good morning to you. i'm meteorologist christina loren from the nbc bay area

weather center. tracking showers on the radar this morning. clearing quickly. by noon today, 53 degrees by the bay. we'll be at a comfortable 54 degrees inland. rounding out the day 60s. we warm up towards the midsection of this week. another good-looking weekend on tap with temperatures in the 60s. hope you have a fantastic monday. and that's your latest weather. now let's welcome olympic gold medalist summer sanders, a fierce competitor in the pool and in the kitchen as well. unfortunately her training as an athlete could have been her undoing. she's the latest to be eliminated from food network's "rachael versus guy celebrity cook-off." >> it was a sad day. >> what happened? >> i tried an amuse bouche and tried to put something together i don't eat which was goat cheese. it looked pretty but it didn't taste good. what are you going to do? >> who's your competition?

>> that's taylor dane. also left are coolio who's a force in the kitchen. >> he's a big cook. >> also joey fatone and lou diamond phillips. i played for right to play. we bring sport and play to developing countries. >> wow. so are you going to step it up a notch? >> i still start my day off with a bowl of kellogg's and try to get adventurous at night. i'm cooking for kids who don't like a lot of spice. my important goal is teach them to make healthy choices. i look at my plate and i want it colorful, not with skittles, but with veggies. >> you have a few medals around your neck. we're coming up on the 2012 olympics. >> i know. so fun. >> what do you think the u.s. team's chances are? >> the swim team is the team to beat. the men are looking to win the relays.

that's what we have always dominated. that's where they have to come back. the women, you will see missy franklin, an absolute doll, just a bright spot of the u.s. team. of course michael phelps will win his 4,000th gold medal or something. >> he'll be weighed down. >> always good to see you, summer. >> see you in the kitchen. >> don't forget. catch "rachael versus guy celebrity cook-off" sundays on food network. here's nat. >> today's health is brought to you by kleenex brand tissues. softness worth sharing. >> thank you, al. this morning on today's health, is it a cold or the flu? recognizing the difference between the two illnesses can be critical to avoiding more serious health problems. "today" contributor dr. raj is from langone medical center and author of "what the yuck." good morning. >> good morning. >> it's been a mild flu season

is. february is the peak so it's a good reminder, as any time. we should point out the flu can be deadly, right? >> absolutely. colds generally make you feel not great but they don't knock you out. the flu can lead to serious complications, things like pneumonia, bacterial infections. could be fatal in some people. important we don't get lulled into a false sense of security. we are still waiting for the peak which is january and february. >> knowing the difference between a cold and flu is important because the flu can be deadly. >> it can be. you want to know if you have it so you can talk to your doctor about what to do about it. >> we'll differentiate between the two in a moment. let's dispel the myth that people think you can get a cold if you're out in the cold or wet weather or if you're just basically dressed inappropriately. false? >> it's a myth. the whole, don't go out with wet hair, that's not how we get a

cold. we get colds or flu through contracting a virus. you get it by people sneezing, coughing near you, touching a contaminated surface and your mouth, nose or eyes. that's how you get the flu or a cold. we see it more in the winter because we are in closer quarters with people. we're too close to people and that's how we get sick in the winter. >> we're just making sure we're not catching anything. let's go through the symptoms and you tell us which is which. first, runny nose or stuffy nose. cold or flu? >> this is more often a cold. the runny nose is a sign -- the viruses that cause the cold affect the nasal passages. you may have a little bit of stuffiness with the flu but it's an overall body symptom. for the runny nose, sneezing that's annoying, more likely to be a cold. >> next is the dry cough. >> a cough could be a cold or a flu. the difference is if the cough is accompanied by chest pain or trouble breathing that's a more serious situation, more likely to be the flu.

just a dry cough that's not really bothering you much could be a cold. >> body aches and fatigue. sounds like the flu. >> hallmarks of the flu. the flu knocks you out. you can't get out of bed, you can't move. you're miserable. colds, people can go to work, go about their daily activities. they don't feel 100%. >> the flu lasts how long? >> you could have fatigue for up to three weeks. the cold is more three to five days. >> another symptom is sore throat. if your throat is inflamed is that the cold? >> it could be the cold or flu. if you start with just a sore throat and a couple days later have a runny nose that's a cold. if you have a sore throat with body aches, fatigue, that's likely to be the flu. >> best way of prevention is the flu vaccine? >> absolutely. hand washing for the colds and flu is a great way to protect yourself from contracting it. the flu vaccine is important for everyone over six months. >> if you have the flu what's a common course of treatment? >> there are treatments for the

flu. they are only effective if you start within 48 hours of your illness. there are anti-viral medications to shorten the duration and less century the severity and prevent complications. if you suspect the flu talk to your doctor. there are tests and treatments for it. >> dr. raj, now we know the difference. thanks. up next, how to protect yourself from identity theft including a list of what documents to shred. plus a happy milestone for elizabeth smart. her kidnapping and rescue made headlines more than a decade ago. now she'sengaged. details after this. are america's softest... no wonder people want to share them with the ones they love. ♪ ♪ start your own chain of sharing. ♪ send a kleenex brand share package for free today

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♪ this morning on today's consumer protecting yourself from identity theft. more than 8.5 million u.s. households were victims of i.d. theft in 2010, costing them more than $13 billion. in its current issue shop smarting magazine reports on strategies to safe guard your information. lisa, good to see you. >> good morning, al. >> first you say people shouldn't panic. >> there are a lot of cases and there are a growing number of cases but in most cases you can

prevent identity theft in a few very simple steps. >> okay. first of all, you say shredding or tearing up in itty bitty pieces of certain kinds of information that comes to your house every day is important. >> right now you probably have information in your trash people can use to steal your money. >> like what? >> shredding is the number one no-brainer thing you can do to prevent identity theft. credit card information, monthly bills, workplace documents, financial statements, any information you get from a retailer you have done business with. all of these things should be shredded. >> what if you get junk mail, you know, like offering you credit cards, things like that? >> absolutely. any checks you receive in the mail. sometimes you get checks you can use toward purchases in the mail. shred. when in doubt, shred. you don't have to shred everything. you know the ads in the mail that don't have your name on it, just put those in the trash. but i basically shred

everything, just in case. >> let's get started talking about shopping. you say to keep your computer safe. >> if you're shopping online there are a lot of threats in terms of i.d. theft. one of the things you really need to do is make sure you have security software and use it and update it. also, this prevents you from getting hacked but as you have been hearing in the news lots of companies have been getting hacked. >> sure. >> there were millions of accounts hacked. >> what chance do we have as an average person when these big multi billion dollar companies with all this security get hacked? >> one thing you can do is make sure you have a strong password. can't be your cat, dog or anything in the dictionary. should be a scramble. you have to change it regularly. i know it sounds like a pain in the butt. but you should have different passwords for different retailers. if a retailer is hacked they don't have your password they can use for your other accounts. >> what about public wireless networks? is that a bad thing? >> only if you're shopping on

them. criminals could be standing by on a public wifi system ready to take your passwords, credit card numbers. don't shop on public wifi networks. >> should you password protect your own wifi network at home? >> absolutely. that's a simple thing you can do to protect yourself at home. >> e-mail scams. i have gotten e-mails that look like it comes from my bank. >> right. >> they look really legitimate. >> often you may have been shopping at a recent retailer and you get what looks like a legitimate e-mail from the retailer. they will ask for information. don't do it. most likely it's not legit. most companies don't ask for sensitive information via e-mail. >> make sure you know who you are doing business with. >> go to bbb.org, check user reviews. don't do business with just anybody. >> say we're physically out shopping. a lot of times you say people carry more information than they need. >> especially women. we're the worst. we carry bags with us and we have all of our i.d.s, medical

card, social security card. >> my stage manager is nodding yes. >> here's a tip if you're a woman. have a separate wallet for shopping. just the bare minimum amount of information. if your wallet is stolen that's i.d. theft right there waiting to happen. >> you say don't reveal personal information for transactions you didn't initiate. >> if somebody says, oh, get an extra discount with our program and they ask for your birth date and other things, there is no reason to give it to them. the only reason to give them that information is if you initiated a transaction, you're opening a new account. >> one thing you say to do is keep eyes on your credit card because there are a lot of skimming. >> devices. >> and they skim your information. >> if you see a clerk walk off with your credit card, be careful about that. in restaurants there is not much you can do to avoid that. keep an eye on your credit card while that person handles your transaction. >> finally folks don't realize they can get a free check of

their credit scores three times a year. >> so the next no-brainer thing to do to protect yourself from i.d. theft is go to annual credit report.com, check your credit report at the three different agencies once a year to make sure there aren't fraudulent accounts opened in your name. that's something free. you don't have to sign up for expensive credit monitoring or i.d. theft services. that's something you can do and it's powerful. >> lisa freeman, thank you very much. great advice. still ahead, the secrets to a strong, long-lasting relationship. love is not the only answer. you may be surprised what is. first, these messages. when we realized losing wes we could eat whatever we wanted and still lose weight. weight watchers online was so easy. you look up a food, you eat the food, you track the food. weight -- comes right off. you have lipstick on your teeth. ok. got it. using the recipe builder, i'm making 2 point enchiladas that will blow your mind. together, we lost 71 pounds

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♪ ...is amazing with the love that i found ♪ ♪ coming up, an update on elizabeth smart who made headlines ten years ago when she was kidnapped and miraculously rescued. she's planning her wedding. >> and we are celebrating the year of the dragon with chinese recipes you can do at home. >> wow, the kitchen looks great! >> beautiful. two. three. one. -two. -three. -one. -two. -three. [ male announcer ] with the bankamericard cash rewards credit card, earn 1% cash back everywhere, every time. 2% back on groceries. and 3% back on gas.

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good morning to you. 9:26 now. i'm marla tellez. 49ers and fans are coping with a disappointing end to the season, losing to the new york giants in overtime for the nfc championship game. after not turning over the ball on special teams all year, the niners had not one but two turnovers when it counted most. both came from backup kick returner kyle williams, who suffered what had to be the worst game of his life, despite the disappointment, niners owner jed work is optimistic. >> tough to end it this way but we've come a long way, we still

have a ways to go. but we know we'll get there. >> head coach jim harbaugh says the loss will be tough to get observe, the team can't be defeated as long as they know there is hope. police say security at candlestick park was acceptable, though not perfect. san francisco police say they arrested several people on charges of public intoxication, battery, and resisting arrest. one female police officer had to use pepper spray to subdue an unruly fan. overall, police say the number of calls they received was typical for a game. >>we'lch teckl he forecast and roads after the break. ec

welcome back. a live look from trans-america peer mid. a lot of overcast sky overhead, rain coming down through the east bias well. for the most part showerers are coming to a close. we'll see isolate activity early and by this afternoon, clearing. cold night ahead as skies clear. temperatures today are in the 50s, 57 in los gados.

56 in san jose. warmer through tuesday and wednesday. wednesday looks like the warmest day of the week. almost 70 degrees inland. mike? >> talk about rain in the east bay, likely a few more accidents pop up. highway 24, one lane blocked for a period of time, that's why there's slowing over towards that caldecott tunnel. 980 and 580 eastbound direction an accident there. clearing some lanes and slowing coming through the maze but no metering lights at the toll plaza. sunol 680 explains the reason it's tough getting through. rain-slicked conditions. very sloppy in many spots. >> we'll be back with the next news and weather update in 30 minutes. see you at 9:56.

hello, sid. >> what's up, bro? >> don't ever do that to me again. >> he's always a winner in our book, but when the oscar nominations come out will george clooney be on the list of nominees? he has shots in several categories and who will he share the spotlight with? maybe good friend brad pitt? we'll have the academy award nominations for you live here tomorrow on "today." >> i want to see the boyfriend get nominated. he was great. >> he was funny. >> robert forester said, okay, i'm going to hit you now. boom. >> meanwhile you have to see it

if you haven't yet. meanwhile coming up after being kidnapped and sexually abused at just 14 years old, ten years later elizabeth smart is enjoying happier times. she's now 24 years old and is engaged to be married. we'll get the details on how she met her husband to be. >> also ahead, secrets for a long, happy relationship. yes, romance is important. you also need a realistic view of the future to go the distance. we have expert advice ahead. >> and we are ringing in the chinese new year. it's the year of the dragon. with eel be celebrating with delicious asian cuisine including potstickers and a chinese steam boat. >> what is that? >> i don't know. sounds delicious. >> i like it. >> sounds hot. >> you have to do the weather first before the steam boat. >> from the love boat to the steam boat. >> there we go. >> for today, a week ahead looking at two-thirds of the country above normal in the early part of the week.

out west, wet, snowy and chilly. in the midpart of the week things warm up through the plains and much of the country although we will be on the wet side from the ohio river valley into the southwest and in the latter part of the week we cool down. stays wet in the east with snow. in the north above normal temperatures. good morning to you. taking a live look at sunol where we still have really slick conditions. we are noticing a drier pattern, starting to take shape over the greater bay area. but, yeah, looking nice and slick out there this morning. today's highs are going to end up in the upper 50s in inland cities. 58 in concord. 55 livermore. 56 in san jose. by the coast, not quite as warm but staying on the mild side. we warm up through the midsection. 67 degrees inland wednesday. comfortable looking weekend ahead as well. >> t's y latest weather. >> al, thank you. up next, the secrets of a long-term relationship. but first, these messages. [ kid ] mom says there are kids in africa.

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♪ this morning on today's relationships, how couples can stay together. a lot of people were surprised to see the break-up of heidi

klum and seal after seven years of marriage. they renewed their vows every year on their anniversary in may, but marriage is complicated. robby ludwig is here and clinical psychologist jeff gardier is here as well with secrets to a long-lasting relationship. starting with heidi and seal, relationships in hollywood, people are cynical, but these two seemed built to last. it's sad to see this. >> yeah. they looked happy on the outside. they spoke very well of each other. people who knew them were shocked. it just goes to show, you never really know what goes on behind closed doors. you don't know what it's like. >> they put out some nice, amicable words. we hope they have a healthy divorce. but of course the issue is if they were that great with one another why are they getting divorced? there is a lot of stuff we maybe shouldn't know. >> we don't have all the information. >> sometimes marriages don't make it. >> it bears repeating.

marriage is complicated. we'll get advice for long-term relationships. the first piece is develop a realistic view of committed relationships. this seems key. everyone enjoys the infatuation part. it can't last. >> what's not to enjoy about it? there are a lot of people that do hope the romance will look like, you know, the mythic idea. they compare their real relationship to romance and the movies and that can be very dangerous. reality never lives up to fantasy. >> at the same time you're not saying to settle, your relationship will get boring, so suck it up. >> there are cycles in marriages. it may start with fireworks and sometimes it dies down. sometimes you don't even really love one another but then you fall in love again. so if you do make that commitment to stay together you will see the ups and downs in so many different variations as far as emotions. >> the truth of the matter is

exchanging partners is no guarantee that you will feel that permanent feel-good. >> right. >> listen, we don't even feel permanently good spending time with ourselves. why would we feel that with another person? >> i've tried! who can do it? >> with every divorce you should get therapy. we're not saying that to enrich our coffers. it's important to work on your issues. if you don't you end up marrying the same person over and over again. >> that's good divorce advice, but for marriage advice, your next tip is a good one which is to work on the relationship. you can't expect to neglect it and not work at it every day and think things will go well. >> right. sometimes we treat our partners worse than anybody else in the world. the truth is simple. be thoughtful. be kind. be appreciative. behave in a way that gets your partner to know that they are loved. that's tremendously helpful. >> establish healthy habits like using terms of endearment, a kiss on the cheek every day,

touch the shoulder. something that shows you really do love, even if you may not be feeling it at the moment. it's a good habit to have. >> you say to make room for separateness. get some time apart. absence makes the heart grow fonder. >> that's true. when you are developing yourself as a person and you develop your own passion you're basically a happier person and you have something to offer to your partner and share. >> that's right. you want to mix it up, have the separate time where when you get back together you can have fireworks, inquire what's going on in different parts of your life. in couples therapy i find people are excited about one another when they have separate and distinct lives and what they share together. >> i think it adds to being able to be more objective about your partner when you have brief times away. >> you say to make the most of your differences which is a way of saying don't try to change somebody. >> relationships are about compromise. i don't see it as you being less

of a person. i see you giving more to your partner and your partner gives more back to you. that's where the compromise comes along. >> it's frustrating. if you're going to focus on the areas of your partner you don't like and try to get them to change it won't work. redefine it. you chose them because they're different. focus on what you like and how you balance each other out. >> support their personality. >> let's do our last two tips together. they go hand in hand. spend quality time together and keep it fresh. >> yeah. listen, you're a team. you want to have things to look forward to together. vacations, a special dinner. >> go out on dates a lot with one another, by the way. >> right. >> go out on dates. >> thank you for pointing that out. >> do that. it's important because it does bring the excitement back. >> mix up the conversation so you're not always talking about the house, the kids, money problem problems. >> take a class together. learn about wines. include new things into your

relationship which is key. >> mutual goals are exciting. >> free advice. uh you didn't even charge us. >> not yet. >> up next, a happy milestone for elizabeth smart. we'll get details about her engagement coming up right after this. it just wouldn't go away. 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 for some people, it can work in as early as the first week of treatment. so now i can plan my days and accomplish more. 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.

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now to utah where elizabeth smart has announced she's engaged. smart, whose kidnapping and safe return made international headlines, is now a college senior and planning to marry a man she met overseas. here's miguel almaguer. >> reporter: the happy young couple is set to marry this summer. elizabeth smart, the 24-year-old byu senior and her reported boyfriend, 23-year-old matthew gilmore from scotland. her spokesman tells nbc news elizabeth is head over heels excited. they have been engaged a week and are working on a summer wedding. >> the elizabeth smart story in our community is always one that draws a lot of interest, even ten years later. people are still interested in hearing about her and how and what she's doing. that includes her engagement. >> reporter: the engagement is confirmed but little has been released about the couple. elizabeth wants to keep the details of her personal life private. this after a painful and public

personal tragedy. when she was just 14 smart was kidnapped at knife point from her bedroom, held captive for nine months by brian david mitchell and his wife. elizabeth was rescued after a citizen spotted her and called police. >> elizabeth smart has been found alive. >> reporter: in the years that followed there would be trials and testimony. >> what brian david mitchell did to me was so wicked and so evil there weren't words to describe it. he had taken nine months of my life. >> reporter: a victim of sexual abuse, smart became an advocate creating a foundation to help children while moving on with her own life. >> we all have our trials and experience hard times. i don't think we should ever let it disable us. >> reporter: a devout mormon, smart traveled to france last year to serve a latter day saints mission. while in paris, elizabeth reportedly met and fell in love with matthew gilmore. >> i think people just like to see a happy ending which is why

so many people are interested in this story. >> reporter: gilmore, also mormon, lost his father to cancer in 2008. there's been no public comment from his family. it is believed the couple will marry july 1 is in utah, a promising future for elizabeth after a trying past. for "today," miguel almaguer, nbc news, los angeles. >> and a new beginning for them. we wish them the best. coming up next, celebrating the near of the dragon. we're whipping up tasty chinese treats in the kitchen. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

♪ this morning in "today's kitchen," we're celebrating the chinese new year. yes, we are. the cookbook "noodles every day," she's here to share great recipes to ring in the year of

the dragon. chef, how are you? >> good. how are you, al? that was good. >> we're so shameless. people have called you the asian julia child. which is a pretty high honor. >> it really is. i'm very honored. >> you're not honored right now. trying to think how to get out of here. what is this dish we're making? this is something that you have traditionally for chinese new year. >> right. my family it on the eve. and sometimes during the day also. it's the chinese -- the steamboat. and it's really easy to make because you could basically have any kind of protein that you want, vegetables, and one of these little baskets and dips it into the hot broth which is chicken based with ginger and scallions. >> does it have to be boiling? >> it should be gently boiling. you don't want it to be completely evaporated. so a gentle boil is fine. you just dip as much as you want. all of these things cook really,

really in no time at all. >> what is this? >> shrimp, squid, flounder and beef, pork and chicken. and then these are the vegables. watercress. >> could you do cabbage? >> absolutely. in fact, it's encouraged. >> do you put your protein with the vegetable in there? >> sure. and, in fact, you know, by the end of -- at the end when we've eaten all of that, the broth is so flavorful. >> from everything that's been in there. >> that's right. you add the noodles. the noodles are for longevity. >> what kind of these? >> these are cellophane noodles. they're made of starch. >> you cook, but you put them in hot water and then take them out in. >> just take them out, yeah. very quickly, 30 seconds. >> some examples there. >> that's right. just add them to your bowl. and then you have soy sauce, hot sauce. >> those aren't quite cooked, but you get the idea. what do we have back here? >> back here we have dumplings. >> ah. >> dumplings are always nice to have. on special holidays, you take this time to make things that

take a little time to make. >> fry or steam these? >> you can fry, steam, and/or boil them. we're going to make pot stickers. i have peas, mushrooms, scallions and ginger. i'm going to add tofu. the reason i'm doing the tofu filling is we have so much protein going on in the hot pot that it's just nice to have balance. >> mm-hmm. >> so we're doing a vegetarian version. >> nice. for friends who come over who are vegetarian, that's a nice alternative. >> absolutely. you end up with something that looks like this? >> exactly. and then you make dumplings. so you take a wrapper. and you just wet the edges. right here. and then you add a little bit of filling in the center. about a heaping teaspoon. make sure you have a little bit of everything. and then you just fold it and you make a little half moon. that's the easy -- easy dumpling shape. >> oh, wow. >> and that's it. >> that's all? >> that's it. >> and so you could make your own -- whatever filling you'd like in here. >> absolutely.

so then after that, all we do is we take these beautiful dumplings. and we add them to the pan. so there's water and oil in the pan. >> water -- now, why water and oil? >> because we're going to pan fry them. so what happens is you do a steam and frying simultaneously. and the top is steamed. the bottom is fried. and that's why they're called pot stickers. >> because they stick to the pot. >> they stick to the pot. we're going to cover these. >> the magic of television. >> and then through the magic, tah-dah! so they just fry. they're still going. what happens is the water evaporates. and it leaves behind the oil. and the oil just, you know, makes the bottom part really golden. and this is what you get. >> that's beautiful. >> right here. the pot stickers. and here we have longevity noodles, again, with shiitake mushrooms and watercress. this is for long life. we're also celebrating a birthday. everybody turns a year old today, so it's the chinese new year, the most important holiday

in chinese culture. you also get to sell bratdceleb birthday. tangerine peel for luck. >> thank you so much. happy new year. >> thank you. happy new year to you. >> year of the dragon. >> we love it. we love the deco >> your local news is next.

good morning. 9:56. ross mirkarimi returns to the court set a trial date. facing three misdemeanor charges against his wife. last week he pleaded not guilty to charges. the sheriff has been ordered to stay away from his wife and their son in the meantime. the mayor has asked mirkarimi whether to consider whether he can do his job effectively with the issues he's facing. also in court, opening arguments to set in begin in a murder trial of an alleged gang member in san francisco. accused of killing a father and two sons in 2008. ramos is allegedly part or the ms-13 street gang. police said ramos may have mistaken the men for rival gang members. the trial is expected to last some months. let's check the rainy forecast with meteorologist christina loren. >> showers have subsided. grab your jacket. temperatures in the upper 50s

later on today. even inland, we'll see 57 as you make your way home from work. high pressure builds in through the next few day. that will keep things mild for us. we'll slowly warm up all the way through thursday. temperatures at 70 degrees as we hit the midsection of your week. so, staying nice and mild, we lose that rain chance after today. saturday and sunday, looking good. let's check your drive with mike. >> first over to east shore freeway. we have our second or third accident of the morning at gilman. that moved to the shoulder. no major slowing there. upper deck westbound 880 into san francisco we have slowing. there's an accident which looks like it's over making landfall into the area approaching san francisco. cleared from lanes, slow on the approach and through treasure island. metering lights are off. golden gate bridge, look at the rain. we have it it clear, skies with water on the lens. highway 12, 116 problems through north bay. over the san mateo bridge, still have effects of rain from

earlier on the roads. >> thank you. we'll see you at 10:26. find us on facebook, search nbc bay area. itchy skin, get lasting relief with gold bond intensive healing cream. it targets the underlying causes of itch and irritation. gold bond. intensive healing for lasting relief.

captions paid for by nbc-universal television from nbc news, this is "today," with kathie lee gifford and hoda kotb. live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. hey, everybody, so glad you're with us today for this fun-day monday, january 23rd. it's going to be a long day for all the football fans who stayed up to watch last night. but a very good day for everybody starting, what -- you know what else it is? >> chinese new year! >> so, listen, for everybody that had to win, somebody had to

lose, so we send our love to all the people in baltimore and -- -- >> well, even if you're not a football fan at all, let's pretend, but you do like to watch because it's the big hoopla. there's two things that everyone watched, the national anthemes that were sung before each game. one person, it was steven tiler and kristen chenowith. >> are two people more disalike -- is that a word? >> let's watch steven tyler as he sang the national anthem, please. ♪ over the land of the free ♪ and the home of the brave >> now he got knocked for singing that song like that. >> that's how he sings. >> if you hire steven tyler -- >> you ain't going to get

michael buble. that's what you're going to get. he's known for his -- yaaaahh. >> and kristen chenowith, beautiful in the pouring rain. she sung beautifully, she was before the 49ers/giants game. >> she's an old broadway trouper. the show must go on, eight shows a week and she nailed it. >> wouldn't you have died if you were the kicker for the ravens. >> i felt so bad for that kid. he was 16 for 16 until that point. >> if you watched the game -- nobody could believe it. >> 15 seconds left all he had to do was hit that and they could go into overtime. >> you know what? it wasn't a bad snap. it wasn't -- it was just -- >> you know, it's a long way from san francisco to baltimore. and they get, usually get on a plane right after the game and i said to frank. i said -- what's it like when you get on the plane and you go back and you, you're the one that basically cost the game.

and i said, are the guys great, honey? do they come up to you and say, you know what -- >> and he said no, you know, it's pretty darn lonely the whole way. by the way, you weren't here last thursday when, when my mother and regis, when all pa pandemonium -- i want to thank trudy styler for being so sweet. when my mother pressed the wrong button and why went somewhere in this building i've never been in my life. first of all, there's been such feedback about the show. the part that got the most feedback of all was a game show that took place. we're trying to figure out who knew more about you, whether it was regis or your mother. we have to see the clip. >> a lyric to my sock, let's hear it, please. ♪ everyone has a story >> what's the next line. ♪ everyone doesn't care

[ laughter ] >> what is it! ♪ night and day >> i had more people get in touch with me all over the country said -- i know you better than your mother and regis know you. it was so funny. >> your dentist know you better. >> we were laughing so hard. we promised we would say, if you can't get enough of regis and his beautiful wife, joy, he's going to the the seminole hard rock casino in florida, on february 28th and they're going to be at the seneca hotel in niagara falls. >> how was it? >> we just had the best time. he kept calling you coda. you know the only answer he got right in the whole thing? he knew exactly how long we had been working together. i think he didn't want to hurt anybody over at abc by

co-hosting with you. is what i finally gathered from him. i said everybody would understand that, regioe. so i think i talked him into hosting. >> what did frank think about the game, by the way? >> he's still talking about how much trudy styler wants him. lelts me get back to that here's the thing, i love trudy styler. she's a doll, she was in her adorable little yoga clothes and she did get a short shrift because we got lost in the building. the last my husband was seen was over by the kitchen talking to trudy styler. and -- >> sting's wife, by the way. sting. >> so i took my mom downstairs to have a little piece of her birthday cake and -- tick tock, where's frank? not for 15 more minutes. finally i'm walking down the steps to go home and there's trudy with all her girlfriends and she goes -- oh my god, your husband is so gorgeous!

i can't believe he told me how old he is, my god, he's gorgeous. i said, isn't it enough that you have sting? back off, do you need my husband, too? so anyway, frank was enamored by ms. styler, who is also mrs. sumner. when somebody else finds your guy attractive, it's a bit of a turn-on. the fact that sting's wife, huh? there's something about that. >> someone is looking at frank, gosh, you are a great-looking guy. >> it took trudy. >> so if you guys were watching the game, they had the greatest commercials during the games, okay? this one is always a home run. this is the e-trade commercial with the e-trade baby. this is my favorite. >> it's a new baby. >> it's a new baby and a new commercial about a lottery winner. >> this is my friend frank about his retirement plan. one golden crown. >> how long with vee known each other?

go to e trade, they've got killer tools, they'll help you nail a retirement plan that's fierce. >> two golden crowns. >> you realize the odds of winning are the same as being mauled by a polar bear and a regular bear in the same day. >> frank! >> you didn't win? i want to show you something, it's my shocked face. >> that's not the one i thought we were going to show. the brand new one with the new kid, that's the old kid. he's probably 18. >> i love that kid. by the way, there was a guy who did get really lucky with the lottery. this is crazy. he went into play the powerball. he thought. >> he does it every day. >> cup of coffee, plays the powerball. for some reason this time he bought the megamillions, accidentally, okay? he doesn't even pay attention. the powerball comes up, his ticket looks weird, he doesn't know why it's not matching the numbers. the guy from the store says to him, hey, look, did you check your ticket because i think someone from our store won the thing. he checked this ticket, the guy on the left, he ended up winning a lump sum of $6.8 million after

taxes. this guy is a veteran, needs a kidney transplant, he didn't have health insurance, all that stuff. >> so he played the wrong game accidentally. i like when life works out that way. >> we wish him all the best. >> let's wish a happy birthday to a wonderful woman in our studios. >> i've not met her yet. lillian is 8 8 years old today, he's here with her posse. this is sherry. >> she saw joanie. >> i'm seeing what's going on. >> we want to wish you a very, very happibert day, thanks for coming to see us. >> she looks beautiful. >> hello, happy birthday. >> thank you very much! >> you look beautiful. >> you really do, it's hard to hear. >> thank you so much. >> you're welcome, sweet, sweet woman. you know what i did after we -- just so i could get frank away from trudy styler and someplace safe where i knew she wouldn't be? we went to this fantastic place, right here in times square called discovery. they always have great exhibits.

they've got a "csi" one on that's pretty fascinating. if you want a great time in new york and can't get tickets to your favorite broadway show. they have a whole exhibit on the dead sea skrols. so want to let everybody know. that's a fun place to go. favorite things time, gang. >> by the way, this is a beijig something. >> a beijing -- a blini. >> a bellini and it's got a lechee thing, not a scallop. >> i don't know if you'll like it, it's a little bit sweet for you. chinese new year, happy chinese new year. by the way, you're a dragon. >> and you're a snake. >> even though, that's supposed to be very, very good in the chinese world. >> apparently it is. >> and what's great about it is truly a dragon, me, and a snake -- get along perfectly. >> we have a good thing going. >> what's your favorite thing, hoda? >> i was in the airport the other day, i went to visit a friend who lost a member of her

family. and i was flying through, i picked up this book and it's called "a simple act of gratitude" and it's about a guy whose life is caving in, he doesn't have any money, his kids -- everything is wrong. and he has never written a thank you note to anybody in his life and he gets a thank you note from somebody and it touches him. he decides over the course of a year, for 365 days, he's going to write a thank you note every single day to somebody. and it changes his life. >> gratitude always does. >> he gives a thank you note to the barista at starbucks who remembers his name. he says look, i want to tell you that it meant a lot that every day i walk in and you say hi john. it touched that guy, he got money, his health back, everything back slowly over the course of a year. it seemed like an easy exercise. >> it's so simple, we stumble over it and that's why i love the book "a thousand gifts." i got the sweetest note from her. my favorite thing is this, this might look like a little

thing and it is a little thing. it's called doctor's brush picks. you get two packs for about $5 at your local drug store. it's not a tooth pick. it's a tooth pick on one end. on this end it's a little tiny brush. can you see that? i'm going to show you how it works. >> don't do it. >> and i'm going to show my other talent at the same time. can we get a close-up, please? >> no! ooh! >> it goes right in the tooth. >> and then it just -- look. >> can you put it out. >> can i tell you something, i was at jury duty and -- >> a woman was flossing her teeth like this, next to me in jury duty the whole time. i kept staring at her, i couldn't take it. it remibds me of that. >> this little teeny brush, it's so cute. my teeth are the most expensive part of my bothdy, if you know what i mean, but when i eat anything, it shows up in my teeth mixt daughter has huge, national teeth. >> where and when is the appropriate time to use these?

>> i think right now is a really good time to pick my teeth, why not. >> all right, sara, what you got, baby. >> you told me the flossing story. this is like your worst nightmare right now. this is my reebok shape wear double-layer tank and i'm obsessed with it because underneath here, is another layer that does shape wear. so you know when you have the excuse, like i feel fat i'm not going to the gym, now you have no excuse, because the whole thing tucks you in. you already look like you've worked out before you even start. it's a little pricey, about $50, but i've probably worn this 50 times, so i'm getting my money's worth. >> real cute there. >> billy bob over here. ooh, do you do that in restaurants? you don't. >> no. but half the time you're talking to somebody and you're like, how are you? you get home and -- you've got -- >> that's the worst --

>> food. i come home after having lamb chops at maries with you and i'm like, every tooth. >> two quick announcements, ambush makeovers, we're doing something special for february, heart health month. we're looking for people who have been through some kind of heart issue and we wanted to help tell your story and give you a big makeover and stuff like that. >> so come on down to the plaza. >> we're getting ready also to go to the bahamas. so pack your bags, we are going -- when are we going? >> two weeks, i think. >> two weeks from tomorrow. we're going down there. and it's going to be fun. up next, all the juicy details about some of your favorite celebrities on today's buzz. >> this is a bad one. i know. >> a lot of people breaking up. >> but frank and i and trudy styler, just fine. >> we'll be right back. ♪

♪ i woke up to a feeling ♪ every little thing has meaning ♪ ♪ i woke up to a light bulb on ♪ every little thing is possible now ♪ [ female announcer ] we've added a touch of philadelphia cream cheese to our kraft natural cheese to make it creamier so whatever you make isn't just good, it's amazing. ♪ ...is amazing with the love that i found ♪ ♪ 102? [ dog whimpers ] 102? no!

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people want to know their taxes have been done right. to help, you can get free one-on-one expert tax advice. if you have a question, just call or do an online chat with one of us. we even guarantee that all turbo tax calculations are accurate. i'm rhonda collins, and i'm a turbo tax c.p.a. man: go to turbotax.com. time to kick off your week with "today's buzz and" all the celebrity buzz you may have missed with all the football over the weekend. >> between the breakups and the babies, danny cohen has all the scoop. he's the host of a show on all the time now, "watch what happens." >> how are you holding up? >> doing great. only live show in late night, ladies. >> burden of proofing it up, baby. >> 11:00 on bravo. >> ruining your love life, but what the heck. >> your cards here.

>> we don't need anything. >> are there words on here? >> heidi and seal. >> they confirmed it. you know, and one of the reasons why i think no one saw it coming is because this is a couple who renewed their vows every year on their anniversary, which seemed like kind of a fun way to celebrate your marriage. but, no, they confirmed it's an amicable split but -- >> but why? the big question. >> we don't know, klg. >> saying because he had an explosive temper, that she could not handle it. they said no infidelity, but he just got upset a lot. >> really. >> wow. >> may i ask one question, though? >> ask. >> first of all -- >> you have the floor, kathie lee. >> thank you, baby. what does he have to be so angry about? when we've seen him -- >> of course we see him under different circumstances. >> yes. >> but easy-going, sweet guy. i don't believe that's true. >> maybe he's mad because he never got to record a duet with you. >> that's probably it.

yes. >> speaking of singing at super bowls, as kathie lee has done very well -- >> you're going to pay. >> steven tyler got booed. >> here's what -- first of all, i watched it a few times. i don't know if he was actually booed. >> yeah. >> they were screaming. i don't know if they were booing. but he was sort of screaming as well. but here's my feeling after watching this a few times, because i thought that it was a little not great, this performance. and i understand that's what he does. i think what he needs is a band behind him. >> no kidding. >> back him up. >> and learn the lyrics. >> oh, really. >> yes. >> oh, please. >> messed up. >> all right. so i must say, though, i did one year sing at the super bowl. >> i remember that. >> and it's an unbelievably overwhelming experience. >> did you sing the track or -- >> they make you. >> that was the track? >> that was a cappella. >> that was a cappella.

>> i asked to and they said no. >> i don't think he's an a cappella performer as it turns out. >> you're right about needing a band because rock 'n' roll is the whole beat, all of that stuff. >> tracy morgan. tell us what happened. he passed out? >> he passed outed a sundance last night, accepted some kind of award and he passed out. they say it was because of at toould, the hospital said there were no signs of alcohol or drugs or anything. so, you know, alcohol -- altitude can do that to you. you know, altitude also, kathie lee, gives you gas. did you know that? oh, no. >> no, no, no. >> overshare alert. >> no, no, no. we used to have a place in colorado. >> and what happened to you? >> no. edwards, colorado. it's still there. there's a little restaurant called the gas house. you know how you do the traditions. every year, we'd take the kids first off to the gas house. those kids, it was a disaster all the time.

i never knew if p it was the at toould or the gas house. >> why are you not a housewife? can't we just put you on one of the house wives? >> i'm available. i'm here at 11:00 every day. lot of time to get in trouble. >> lastly about the oscars tuesday. any surprises? >> it's all about the artists. i finally saw the artists last night. loved it so much. what a bunch of producers guild awarlds over the weekend. so things -- you know, this is the front-runner. >> the other one i saw that i really liked -- >> that dog's going to be on my show tonight. >> you have the dog? >> sparky. >> i have mary j. blige tomorrow night. tonight we're doing a big cut of beverly hills spectacular for their finale. >> what's going on with that? >> we had a pajama party with ray fynes and holly hunter last week. and holly hunter did a split. she does. and then we had a pajama party. we had a pillow fight.

>> i have a fantasy about ray fynes. i love that man. it's over. >> why? >> pajamas? >> congratulations on the show and on your ratings. >> thanks. thank you. >> doing well. >> there you have it. >> we're not recasting "the beverly hills housewives." >> up next, our "fan of the week" is about to pack foe sominn sfuhe t for some fun in the sun. for a day. ealthy n i want healthy skin for life. [ female announcer ] don't just moisturize, improve the health of your skin with aveeno daily moisturizing lotion. the natural oatmeal formula goes beyond 24-hour moisture. it's clinically proven to improve your skin's health in one day, with significant improvement in 2 weeks. for healthy, beautiful skin that lasts. i found a moisturizer for life. [ female announcer ] aveeno daily moisturizing lotion. and for healthy, beautiful hair, try nourish plus haircare. only from aveeno.

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drum roll, please. our winner this week is olivia blackburn from fayetteville, north carolina, who watches us on wncn channel 17. olivia says our show is her favorite time of the day because you guys brighten her morning and inspire her. she loves joy bauer's smart snacking tips and motivating stories to push her to go to the gym and lose the baby weight. she's an army wife and is comforted by your friendship which reminds her of all her friends at home. congratulations, olivia. thank you for your constant fanship, bring if an incredible fan, we're sending you and your husband to miami. the trip includes a three-night stay at the trump international beach resort, daily breakfast for two at naomi's grill, two 60-minute spa treatments, one museum tour for two and air fare. we should mention accommodations and air fare are provided by trump international beach resort. >> congratulations! a double blessing because he's serving in the armed forces.

>> absolutely. still to come, what your friends can be doing to your confidence. >> plus, debbie reynolds brings out one of your favorite novels. >> and losing 250 pounds from his body, inducted into the joy fit club. we'll meet him. it looks like he wants some gas. how's it going, gentlemen? what's up, man? gas prices keep going up. crazy, man. but seeing how i saved hundreds on car insurance with progressive, this tank's on me. we getting a whole free tank of gas. the dude from the progressive commercial, man, he just filled up our tank for us. appreciate it. take care. fill it up? free tank of gas. man, switch to progressive, dog. they doing a lot of good out here, man. tell him the messenger sent you.

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accused serial killer will wrap up his statements his preliminary hearing. he's representing himself. the judge is trying to decide if he should stand trial for the murder of four women between 1977 and 1994. during the two week of testimony, the prosecution presented images found in his home of women posed in unnatural positions. prosecutors argued the women were drugged and subdued. naso argued he used his charm to seduce women and said images like the ones found in his home were part of what he called americana, not evidence of criminal activity. >>e a look

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left, totino's. [ male announcer ] well done mom! less drama, more fun! totino's pizza rolls. welcome back. time now10:28. a few more isolated showers before noon, afternoon clearing, and a cold night ahead. as we see all of the clouds clear out of the area. highs look comfortable. it's going to be on the cool side. you'll probably need the jacket throughout the day. 57 redwood city. 56 in san rafael, not bad. we climb in temperature all the way through wednesday. upper 60s by wednesday with pretty significant a.m. fog. good-looking weekend ahead as well. mike? >> we are making up for the all of the reason to get off the roadways. it's not. roadways are blocked, flooding reported ford the north bay sonoma county, three spots declared by caltranss, 121 at 8th. 121 at highway 116. and highway 12, these are usual

suspects for the portion of your bay area. an accident 101 at silver clearing to the shoulder. slowing on 101 towards highway 92. still slick there, back to you. >> thanks so much. see you at 11:00. jonbe back for nbc bay area news at 11:00. ♪ why can't we be friends >> we are back on this fun day monday with "today's relationships" and a topic that could take the fun out of some of your friendships. >> we are talking about the toxic relationships, the one who doesn't like your ten-pound weight loss or doesn't agree with the way you lose your children. >> that's a problem. they have more influence on everything from your marriage to your style. megan murphy from self-magazine and her little baby bump and relationship therapist r.g. allen have some help for us. we don't have this problem but apaperly many do. right? >> i think we all have a friend,

when you say, i got this new dress, they go, it looks okay. not the ones who want to cheer you on. >> you can't cheer your family but you can cheer your friends so they should be uplifting and positive relationships. but it's not always the case. >> why do we keep friends like that who aren't actually friends? >> sometimes we may already have self-confidence issues and that sort of draws us to be negative or glass half empty friends. we need to ask ourselves why we stay in those relationships. >> they say they attract what's within you often. sometimes you have a bunch of friends who are complainers because you're a complainer. that sort of is what you do. >> you don't. you've got great friends. >> i really do. look at you. >> so what do you do? you have a friend who's toxic, makes you feel crummy every time you have an accomplishment and she's bitter. what's the right kind of thing to do in that situation? >> it's crazy. we did a self-.com poll and you have more of these negative friends than you think. 59% of us have a friend who is completely needy. we have 54% of us had a friend

who was, you know, completely self-absorbed and backstabbing and judgmental. 45% of us actually had a friend who would make actual jabs, you know. >> i just -- i don't understand. maybe you just live long enough, you get to the point you're so old you stop putting up with that kind of negativity. but apparently some people like the drama, right? >> how do you get rid of it? >> one thing you need to do is have a courageous conversation with these friends because often time we stay in in relationships out of loyalty. we've been friends so long. we need new friends. what does that look like? have a conversation with that person, give them an opportunity to make adjustments. if they can't, you need to determine for yourself do you have more positive or negative? >> when you say friendships affect marriages, it is funny. if a girlfriend is having a problem with your husband and he's always complaining he doesn't do this or doesn't do that, sometimes you look at your husband, you're not doing this or that. it is contagious. >> it's dangerous.

>> negativity breeds negativity. they say i feel fat, i feel fat, too. you have to nix the negativity and inspire positive conversation. don't let them go there. say you know what, we're not having this conversation. >> how do you start that conversation with the person? maybe you don't realize that each time i'm excited about something you're sort of -- i don't think you do it or realize you're doing it. >> they may or may not realize it. at the end of the day, you really do have to be courageous enough to say, listen, this is not helpful to me. and i'm not feeling like when i come into these relationships or when i encounter you that i walk away feeling good. can we do something different. and it's really engage, if they can do that, great. if not, you may have to let them go. >> you don't need another burden. >> parenting. people they can jump right in and talk to you about that stuff. tell us about that. >> critical piece. >> very critical. and it can be very subtle. my first child i had trouble breast-feeding and i had a

friend going you know you need to do that for a year to have the best benefits. you go home and say i'm a bad mom. sometimes it's sutle with that negativity. makes it feel bad about yourself and shakes your confidence. >> sometimes it's not negative. they say those things now and then but overall -- >> or they're trying to be helpful. >> or the one-upper, the friend that's like, you did this, well, i did this. they're constantly trying to run-up you and you still feel bad about yourself. >> if a friend can tell you the truth in love and be affirming at the same time, you don't want a friend that's going to tell you a lie just because you want to hear it. they can tell you the truth in love and the intention is for you to hear it and do something positive with it. that's very different than someone telling you the truth and saying it in a harsh way. >> thanks, kids. >> thank you, ladies. >> up next, actress debbie reynolds teams up with katherine high until a new movie. i had enough of feeling embarrassed about my skin. [ designer ] enough of just covering up my moderate to severe

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the fabulous debbie reynolds has been acting for more than 60 years and has not taken a break. >> and we're glad. >> from talking, no the from working. >> this time, she plays a very sassy grandma, to katherine heigel's character in new movie called "one for the money." we look at what happens when debbie discovers her granddaughter's new gun during dinner. >> ma! >> good for you. >> thanks. >> good for you, stef. >> yeah. >> we're going after joe morelli. >> didn't you run him over with a car? >> ugly rumor, never happened. >> put the gun away. i don't know why even try. >> oh! >> she left her gun at home today to be with us. we love it when you come on. >> i should have shot the chicken.

>> my husband instead of the chicken. it's a funny movie. wait until you see it, it's very cute. you'll like it. >> is it your first time you and katherine heigl working together? >> i've never watched her before, she's very funny, very pretty, very talented. you know, very, entrepreneurial, i mean she produced it, she did everything. >> now you play her spunky grandmother. you've played so many different roles over the 60 years? how many movies? >> about 50 some odd movies. >> you did take a little time off to get marry and stuff. >> get marryingried takes no time at all. it takes a shorter time to get a divorce now a days. >> so many amazing roles, how does it change to be on the hollywood set, we're looking at this "singing in the rain." >> it's different, you know, they work a little faster because they have different lighting. and it's easier, it doesn't take as long. >> it's faster now? >> it's faster now, but it's not

so much fun. you don't have as much time to become comrades or -- to bond on the set. you know like before, we'd really get to know each other. be friends, judy garland and all the great stars. and our day. and we had parties and got together. and that -- >> the social life. >> that doesn't happy today. unless you're on a series, you can do that. >> what do you think about how reality tv has sort of taken over and they've become kind of the new celebrities of our time? >> i think they're awful. would you like my opinion. they stink. well, i don't understand, first of all, i don't think they're real, i think they're making that up. they're just playing with each other. i don't know what they're doing. because that's not real. you know, people screaming at each other, yelling. that or they're really not nice people. because -- i don't think real

people behave that way. >> sure. >> not with cameras on them. >> you don't grab each other's boobs and curse and carry on. >> i did it to suzanne somers the other day. >> why did you do that in. >> i knew she had things happen, but i wouldn't necessarily have grabbed her [ bleep ]. i wouldn't have done that. >> maybe you would have. >> i don't think so, grabbed my -- they would have shot you, bam. >> there's certain things you have to control yourself. >> you have more stories and -- >> one for the money, two for the show, three to get ready to go, that's why i'm here, it's abouted movie, we don't have it talk about me. >> but we love you and we're going to have your daughter on, co-hosting with me. i'm a little scared. >> she does "wishful drinking" i

don't know why she's here or i don't know why. she's in show business she travels a lot. it's very nice she's working. >> she looks great these days. >> oh yes, lost 50 pounds, jenny craig, jenny craig. send me some of that. >> and tomorrow, the co-star of "one for the money" will be with us tomorrow. up next, the joy fit club. some mornings, getting the family together for breakfast might seem... ♪ ...impossible. no, no... well how about the purp? ew! ♪ yeah. wow. unless you have eggo® waffles. they're quick and easy to make, and there's something about them... that just makes people move. [ male announcer ] golden crispy outside, warm and fluffy inside. who says breakfast together can't be done? [ male announcer ] eggo® waffles.

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time for look at me now, "the joy fit club," induction of the newest member, ben richards. >> a 25-year-old personal banker from columbus, ohio, who lost 150 pounds. we'll meet him in just a minute. first let's take a look at his story. >> my name is ben richards and i once weighed over 360 pounds. i have always been a bigger person. growing up, my friends would

make jokes about my weight. i pretended like it didn't hurt, but deep down it did. i tried many diets but nothing seemed to work and i just kept gaining weight. i went to an amusement park when i was about 15 and tried to ride two different roller coasters only to be forced off because the seat wouldn't lock. i never went back to an amusement park because of my embarrassment. when i was 17 my father passed away from brain cancer. that's when my weight really spiraled out of control. i would eat whole pizzas and a dozen wings in one sitting. i gained over 80 pounds in four years. on my 22nd birthday my sister pulled me aside and said she just wanted me to be healthy. she told me that she wanted me to be around for a long time. it touched me and for some reason it clicked. i started counting calories and slowly eased exercise into the equation. using that simple formula, the pounds just started coming off. today i'm 150 pounds lighter and have kept it off for over three

years. i have also been able to help my fiancee, cousin, best friend, and his sister all lose weight. i wish i could help everyone get healthy because it is such a great feeling. >> what a doll. what a beautiful family. before we ask ben to come out, we're here with joy bauer who's going to tell us all about his bad eating habits. >> he simply did this by learning how to track calories and he had a great support system. his sister. he also teamed up with his best friend and the two of them were men on a mission. they went to the gym, watched their calories. the biggest learning lesson when it came to calories was this calorie bomb. hitz favorite meal, a double-crusted pizza. two levels here. >> two slices in one. >> on top of each other. exactly. he had multiple slices. buffalo wings. it was well over 4,000 calories. so now what he does is he makes his own using flat bread pizza bottoms, whole grain, skim milk

mozzarella, marinara sauce and piles it up with vegetables. a fraction of the calories. >> you retrain yourself. >> yeah. he craves it now. craves it. >> take one last look at ben, his before picture. all right, ben. come join the joy fit club. oh my gosh! >> whoa. >> whoa! >> gorgeous. >> wow. >> whoa, whoa. look at what's inside there. you look great. the support of your sister, i mean, clearly that was really what helped you, wasn't it. >> yeah. it was huge. >> and your fiancee, by the way, happens to be standing -- rachel, just behind us. a lot of people, i don't know if they have that kind of family support, but how much did that influence you and help you out? >> it was everything. couldn't have done it without her. >> she got to your heart. she said i want you to live. i want you to be around. >> yeah. she didn't care how i looked. she wanted me to be healthy. >> and you can do everything you weren't able to do. you do a lot of exercise.

what do you do? >> i ran my first half marathon last year. >> good for you. >> it was grief that spiraled you. your dad. >> it was comfort food. >> you're engaged. you have your life together. >> all right, guys. god bless. if you need help with your diet, head to today.com to join joy's 25,000 pound weight loss. and this one you'll like. banging out the truth about bangs. can they change your life? arson is with us. hey guys, breakfast!

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♪ beautiful girl want an instant makeover? bang out some bangs, baby. >> louis licari's famous arson gergoff is here to show you. i'm scared of the segment. >> we're going to prove it. >> actually we'll do kathie

lee's bangs. >> right now. she wanted her bangs cut. viewers like to see a change. >> every person has three different issues. you know, many issues why they should have or shouldn't have bangs. >> is she standing straight? oh! >> great hair for bangs. >> is it happening right now? >> happening right now. >> it's crazy upstairs right now. >> kathie lee asked for it. she wanted it. >> instant bangs. >> her we go. >> they're soft. you don't have to really commit to it. you really don't have to commit to it. >> what have you done? is that it? >> it's easy. >> i'm scared of the front. >> oh! wow! >> come on. kathie's getting her bangs cut. >> and they're wondering why they got all drelszed up. >> oh, my gosh. i can't believe we did that. thank you. okay. >> before we show her, this is diana's before picture. lots of hair all over and she's trying to -- do bangs.

>> with curly hair you think you shouldn't have bangs. not true. look right now. >> love it. >> it immediately gave her instant makeover. >> yeah. >> beautiful thing about bangs. >> let's show jill's before picture. our next lucky lady. let's show her before before we show her after. >> as you can see jill has great hair, great oval-shaped face, but looking like she was missing something. so we gave her these blunt bangs. not overpowering. >> beautiful. >> takes years off her face and it's sexy. >> i love her hair. you're right. love the style. >> thanks. >> beautiful. >> i thought you were wearing wigs, all of you. i have to be honest. looks gorgeous. >> katherine's before picture. what was katherine's issue before? >> she was, you know, always wears the hair back, feels like she has no style. i gave her these wispy bangs. she has a heart-shaped face. look at this. she would wear this hair pulled back, instantly has a style.

>> i love it. >> also saves you on your botox. >> that's the main reason i want it. >> what about maintaining them? you have to keep going back and making an appointment. >> the best thing about bangs, stylists trim them for free. you don't need an appointment. you walk in for free. >> finish up. >> wait, wait. you have a minute. >> i want to see what happens. never seen this happen. >> beautiful thing about these bangs, kathie lee. >> i changed my mind. >> you don't need to commit to it. >> my hair grows so fast, next week -- >> it does. i committed. >> if you don't like it, you can push them off. >> you rock. >> thank you. coming up tomorrow, actress katherine heigl will stop by. >> and we answer your questions on the panel. ed will be with us. ♪

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