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tv   Today  NBC  March 18, 2012 6:00am-7:00am PDT

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good morning. a day for the record books. a huge part of the country will feel the heat as temperature reach new highs. while places in the northwest are getting hit with cold and snow. we'll tell you how long this unseasonable weather is expected to last. who was staff sergeant bales? did financial hardship on him and his family push him over the edge? we'll have a live report. shark attacks. three surfers are attacked in two days along the florida coast. one heroic mom is credited with saving her teenaged daughter. we have their harrowing stories saving her teenaged daughter. we have their harrowing stories sunday, march 18, 2012.
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captions paid for by nbc-universal television good morning, everyone. welcome to "today" on a sunday. i'm lester holt. >> and i'm jen fa wona wolfe. i don't want to jinx anything but where is winter? >> where fog? and a lot of fog. this is a picture from the top of the rock or the floor in the studio. >> you can't see two feet in front of you out there. >> you go down to washington and you have the cherry blossoms which is a true traditional sign of spring. it is a strange, strange winter. we'll get more on that coming up. also coming up, bullying has gotten a lot of attention recently from high-profile trials to an upcoming documentary. we know bullying can be a serious and dangerous problem in schools and also online.
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coming up, we'll look at how this issue impacts not only the person being bullied and their families as well. breathtaking images of the north and south pole. they're part of a new series showcasing the wildlife of the earth's polar regions, from killer whales to wolves, polar bears to penguins. these images are stunning. they'll blow you away. we'll share more coming up. plus, you have headachy joints, a bum knee, a sore back? >> from when i work out with you still? >> somehow i knew that was coming. instead of taking a pill to feel better, what about exercising? we'll show you some exercises you can do at home to ease your pain. you don't have to be really athletic to do them, like lester, and you don't need a gym or any fancy equipment. i'm kidding. >> that was mean. it was the exercise -- >> i heard boos from the studio crowd. the queen of comedy, joan rivers. over the years she's had a daytime talk show, late night show and now two programs airing on tv. i sat down with her and her daughter melissa to discuss
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their reality show, plastic surgery, tattoos, among other things. a delightful pair. we've got that coming up for you. we begin this morning with the unseasonable warm weather. it's just two days until spring. but places like green bay, wisconsin, and fargo, north dakota, are feeling more like summer. the weather channel's mike sidel is in one hot spot, we don't say that this time of year, chicago. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, lister. how often can you stand on the beach in chicago in mid-march and not need a jacket? it's 64 degrees. almost 20 degrees above the average afternoon high. yesterday minneapolis/st. paul broke their seventh record high in eight days and in the past week we've set or broken more than 2,000 record high temperature. it was a balmy day at new york city famed st. patrick's day parade. a far cry from the event's typically chilly weather. in the nation's capital, celebrating 100 years of the city's famous cherry trees,
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temperature in the 70s produced one of the earliest blooms on record. >> they're beautiful but they're early this year. it always lets everybody know it's time for spring. >> reporter: in chicago it's never been this warm this early. four 80-degree days in a row. that's 35 degrees above average. >> perfect. absolutely perfect. couldn't ask for anything better. >> reporter: but it's not all good news. in michigan last week, with the early start of severe weather season, came tornadoes. >> it was wind, gusting. we saw squirrels flying in the air. >> reporter: the twister damaged more than 100 homes. downed power lines and uprooted trees. remarkably, there were no deaths or even any injuries. in paradise, they're feeling the effects of this wild weather. >> it just came down from the heavens and it was big. it was at least the size of golf balls. >> reporter: a hailstorm in hawaii was the first for many residents. followed by a tornado, carving a path of destruction a mile and a half inland.
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and then came the rain. days and days of it, dropping more than four feet on parts of oahu. over in southern california, the rain was welcomed. the area has seen less than half of its average rainfall this season. still, the storm-slickened roads, downed trees and caused thousands to lose power. >> it's really cold. >> reporter: remember, it is still winter. northern california has just begun to see what's being called the strongest winter storm of the season. >> powder can't beat it. >> reporter: pounding the sierra with several feet of long-awaited snow. and some of that wind energy from that western storm will head out through the western plains today. there will be a little severe weather this afternoon in the texas/oklahoma panhandle. a slight chance of a tornado. again, most of us will be record heat in one of the most mind-boggling stats from yesterday, the nation's ice box, international falls, snowy and cold this time of year, a high temperature of 77. the warmest day they've seen in
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march. breaking the record by 22 degrees. that's almost unheard of. lester, i know you spent a lot of time in chicago. ever been out on the beach in march without a heavy coat on? >> never. i used to ride my bike on that beach. at this time of year, i would be in a heavy coat. good to see you. thanks much. how long can we expect this warmer weather to continue? janice huff is here to tell us. good morning. >> good morning, lester. it looks like it's going to stick around for a while. we can blame or thank, depending on how you look at it, the jet stream. that's the river up air and the upper atmosphere that separates the coldest air from the warmest air. we're seeing a big dip in the jet stream on the west coast. that's why it's been colder than normal and they've been getting rain across much of california. the record highs are underneath that big bubble of warm air on the ridge of the jet stream. it looks like it shifts eastward just a tiny bit by the middle of the week. not much. the record high temperatures will continue to soar from the great lakes to the gulf coast. for today, a high of 80 expected in bismarck. the rerd is 70 degrees. some of these records have stood
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for more than 100 years. it looks like chicago and st. louis will see more of them as well. in the last seven days, more than 2,000 records have been set across the country, lester. more warmth is on the way. >> we'll check in with you for today's national forecast but right now, jenna. >> thank you. we're learning more about the american soldier accused of murdering 16 afghans. robert bales is a decorated career soldier from the midwest but he spent the last decade based in washington state. miguel is there at joint base lewis-mcchord. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. shock is the word we keep hearing this in small military community, trying to figure out how a happily married father of two could be responsible for such senseless murders. today 38-year-old staff sergeant robert bales is in solitary confinement in the army's prison in kansas, accused of killing 16
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afghan civilians, mostly women and children, he can face the death penalty. 1800 miles away, not far from seattle -- >> it's horrible. i wouldn't want to be over there. i wouldn't want to be in his shoes. >> reporter: his wife and two children are been moved to a military base for their security. neighbors new robert bales as a family man, a doting father they called bob. >> he was always happy. happy guy. full of life. i really wouldn't expect it. >> reporter: despite a clean military record, bales had two miss de meesh charges as a civilian, both dropped, including assault on a former girlfriend. after enlisting in the army after 9/11, the decorated soldier, who was also a sniper, was said to be a strong leader in combat. said to be injured twice during three tours in iraq, bales was quoted in a 2009 military publication saying i've never been more froproud of this unit. we discriminated between the bad
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guys and the noncombatants. his high school friend say he received this facebook message from the staff sergeant while he was deployed two years ago. quote, overseas this boring this trip. pretty dumb. giving money to expletive instead of bullets just doesn't seem right. his attorney says bales never expected a fourth deployment to afghanistan. >> i know his two tours in iraq were horrific. and he saw people killed literally standing right next to him. and there was an incident right before these allegations where one of his fellow soldiers was moerl mortally wounded. >> reporter: he was reportedly injured twice, he never received a purple heart. his wife reportedly blogged about her husband being passed over for promotion. it is very disappointed after all the work bob has done and all the sacrifices he has made for love of his country, family and friends. after years of war, it's unclear if bales suffered from
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post-traumatic stress disorder and whether it will be part of his defense. >> i think you would have to assume that's going to be an uphill battle, just on general principles. >> reporter: after more than a decade in the military, bales spent most of his time at joint base lewis-mcchord just outside the gates of coffee shops and diners. today the headlines and talk are about one of their own. >> i'm sympathetic to all the soldiers that's over there. >> reporter: yesterday we also spoke to one of the suspect's former brigade leaders. they spent three deployments together in iraq. he said robert bales was a heroic soldier, one who saved countless lives and a friend who he could never imagine would be responsible for so much blood shed. jenna? >> thank you very much. let's get more of this morning's headlines from tom at the news desk. >> good morning. there's talk today of saudi arabia helping the rebels in syria. nbc is following thor to from cairo. good morning. how could the saudis help the
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syrian rebels? >> reporter: good morning, tom. nbc has confirmed saudi arabia does intend to provide the opposition, the syrian opposition, with military equipment. it's not yet clear what that military equipment is going to be and what country they're going to deliver those weapons from. based on some leaked media reports jordanian government has denied any weapons or military equipment going into saudi arabia to syrian op significant has gone through it's kingdom but growing concerns among u.s. and others that arming the opposition could plunge that country further into civil war. tom? >> also there are reports that a u.s. hostage has been released in iraq and another american citizen has been killed in yemen? >> reporter: that's correct. the united nations has confirmed it has handed over an american citizen to the u.s. embassy in baghdad. that individual believed to have been kidnapped, taken hostage by a powerful shiite militant in iraq, taken in june last year. subsequently released yesterday to the united nations. he's believed to are been an
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american serviceman, but at the time of his kidnapping, he was a service contractor working for the u.s. military. also as you mentioned in yemen, an american teacher was killed just south of the city of sunna and al qaeda militants are claiming killing that teacher. an english soccer match between two top teams ended abruptly after a player collapsed on the field. nbc's duncan is live in london. good morning. what exactly what happened to that player? >> good morning, tom. well, he was on the pitch by himself with no soccer players around him when he collapsed on his front. for the next six minutes paramedics worked hard to resuscitate him, all watched by thousands of fans and a million viewers at home on television. it was incredibly upsetting. it's since been confirmed the 23-year-old suffered cardiac arrest and now in critical
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condition in hospital. he's a popular soccer player here. he came to london as a child. his family, refugees from the democratic republic of congo. he couldn't speak any english but quickly became a star student. now his coach says the next few hours will be crucial for him. tom? >> thank you. now for a look ahead today, our quick roundup of stories to watch for this week. kate middleton makes her first public speech monday. she'll formally open a tree house, a hospice facility in ipswich, england. money the transportation security administration will begin testing a new more lax screening process at select airports for travelers 75 and older. on tuesday the 100th anniversary of the national cherry blossom festival begins in washington. the peak bloom period is between march 24th and 31st. that's the news. now back to lester and jenna. jenna, we know you love those cherry blossoms, right?
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>> i just felt they were boring -- they're beautiful. a little boring to start the sunday morning. i wanted to start with the shark attacks. look at the cherry blossoms, they are gorgeous. >> this a discussion before we went on air. >> we tweeted about it. i lost out to seniority over here, but that's okay. janice huff, back with with the forecast. >> i'll save you from the cherry blossoms. anyway, let's talk a little weather. the cherry bloreome as aloing early this year. on the west coast, seeing quite a bit of rain and snow. some of the biggest snows of the season for the sierra nevada and it's march. looks like more warnings are in effect there for heavy snow across the sierra. rain and thunderstorms in southern california will slowly spread eastward into parse of well, good sunday morning. i'm anthony slaughter in the nbc bay area weather center this morning. rain showers across the coast and inland as well, especially some of the showers down in the
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south bay, producing some heavy rain and even small hail possible so keep an eye out for that. today, showers really going to be the main story once again. temperatures are cool. we're in the 40s. rain on the way and a few thunderstorms as well today. now here's lester. >> janice, thanks. now to politics the republican presidential race has become a battle of math versus momentum with mitt romney and rick santorum fighting for every delegate. david gregory is moderator of "meet the press." david, good morning. >> hi, lester. >> puerto rico holds its primary today. santorum and romney both battled hard. 20 delegates. are we getting to a point now here we are in mid march, this race still competitive at a point where we're questioning whether either of these men could get the, what is it 1140 more delegates by the end? >> i think the unfortunate part for governor romney is that he is trying to make this only a math contest. but he doesn't have kind of the fundamental strength within the party yet to focus exclusively on math.
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i think he's still sort of trying to win the argument and to win the heart and souls of the core of the republican party. that's a different situation from four years ago, in the alabama/clinton race. and i think he's got to very quickly get to a point where he can put away the competition with some of these bigger states, looking ahead to illinois and then wisconsin so that he can begin to consolidate a message, because he's got some pretty difficult general election challenges ahead of him, as well. within the party that he needs to focus on alone. >> obviously, neither one gets the number of delegates you've got a floor fight at the convention. but even up to that point, what's the practical effect of a prolonged race in terms of money spent, is there an upside and downside to this? >> well, i mean, the upside is that he becomes a stronger candidate because he's been put through his paces. that's certainly been the case so far. he's got a very high burn rate for all the money that he's spending in the course of his campaign, not just on moving around the country, but on advertising, as he outspends his rivals dramatically. and it only underscores, i think, the weakness of romney as the favorite to win the
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nomination. why can't he put weaker, less well-funded and organized candidates away? it all comes down to how voters are responding to him. so i think that ultimately becomes a problem. look at what the white house is doing. they've had biden going after all three remaining candidates. i really view that as a dig at romney, which is hey, you can't put this guy away, we're going to go after all of you, because there's still a field rather than one person. >> and it's causing some worry within the republican party. john mccain, who i know you'll be speaking to later on, says this drawn out nomination is bad for the party. is this going to put pressure on either ron paul or gingrich to get out? >> well, i think paul's going to be there and he flies kind of, you know, at 7,000 feet all the way to the convention. i think yes, there's going to be more pressure to get gingrich out. i don't know what the lever is and i don't know who goes to him and says you have to get out. and i don't know what romney can offer him, frankly. you know, when you have a proportional delegates, there's a way for them to keep going and say, you know, i've got some voice that should be heard at
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the convention. the difficulty is how personal it has gotten, and the fact that romney is going to have so much work to do to shore up the base. as he gets in the general election mode if he can get the nomination. >> how about a preview of this morning's "meet the press"? >> we'll also focus on afghanistan with senator mccain, what the policy is going to be going forward, and what's going on with our troops. after an incident that's happened with the killing of afghan civilians, multiple deployments. there's going to be a huge toll on our troops. we're already seeing it and we're going to be dealing with it for decades as they come back from this war, whenever that is. >> david gregory, thanks. we'll take a break and be back with more after this. some places i go really aggravate my allergies.
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so i get claritin clear. this is all bayberry. bayberry pollen. very allergenic. non-drowsy claritin relieves my worst symptoms only claritin is proven to keep me as alert and focused as someone without allergies. live claritin clear. there have been some terrifying moments recently off of florida's east coast with three separate shark attacks in just two days. as nbc's lila luciano reports they're just the latest in a series of frightening encounters with sharks in florida. >> it was, to me, like a scene out of jaws where the girl is getting sucked under. >> reporter: but in this real-life thriller the girl was her 15-year-old daughter sydney. the two had been surfing together at new smyrna beach, florida, when sydney disappeared under the water. a moment later -- >> she put her ankle up and
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looked at it and there was blood. >> reporter: suddenly the shark pulled her und der again and that's when her maternal instincts kicked in. >> i grabbed her shoulders and pulled her up. >> reporter: with the help of other surfers they made it back to shore safely. an ambulance already there. just five minutes earlier 17-year-old nick romano survived his own attack. >> his tail flipped in front of me and i just stoot there, i just got bit by a shark. >> reporter: the next day another surfer was attacked further south. >> the coastline of florida is the region where these animals come to breed. it's where they feed. so, it is more likely in florida where you could have an encounter with a shark. >> reporter: still experts say sharks don't generally target humans. >> you have a better chance of being struck by lightning five times than being attacked by a shark. >> reporter: but tell that to the surfers off volusia county where there are more reported attacks than anywhere else in the world. in 2008 the county documented 24 confirmed bites.
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despite the warnings, florida's east coast beaches are still considered a surfing paradise. >> when you're in the water you're sharing habitat with sharks and the other creatures that live there. >> reporter: making it a crowded paradise with danger potentially lying just beneath the surface. for "today," lilia luciano, nbc news. >> whoo. still to come on today, bullying. we're going to hear from a 10-year-old boy who's being aowt bullied and how it affects him. but first these messages. what a bargain! [ female announcer ] sometimes a good deal turns out to be not such a good deal. but new bounty gives you value you can see. in this lab demo, one sheet of new bounty leaves this surface cleaner than two sheets of the leading ordinary brand. so you can clean this mess with half as many sheets. bounty has trap and lock technology to soak up big spills and lock them in. why use more when you can use less? new bounty. the clean picker upper. ocean spray cranberry juice versus vegetable juice.
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good morning to you. looking live from our san bruno mountain camera, hold on because it is bouncing around there. breezy to start. dry at least in the south bay. thanks for joining us this morning. i'm kris sanchez along with meteorologist anthony slaughter, and so are we dry everywhere? breezy everywhere? >> breezy everywhere and gusts up to 40 miles per hour this another note,anher note, not on seeing showers but thundershowers this morning. some waking up to a rumble of thunder and small hail being reported near santa cruz. otherwise spotty showers the main story. not looking at a whole lot of rain. nonetheless keep the umbrellas
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handy and jacks, maybe even a scarf if you want to throw in something heavier. 44 in santa rosa. keep in mintz winds are gusting so it feels cooler than that. a chilly day in the bay area. 55 for the high temperature inland. 52 at the coast. spotty thundershowers and dry for tomorrow with a few lighter showers. we'll start to see our trend change as we head through the week so that's good news, kris. drier weather, more 60s as opposed to 40s for high. >> see you in a bit. new this morning, san jose police are looking into a stabbing at a hotel. officers got that call to the motel 8 on the alameda near the 880 after 1:00 this morning. we are told there was a fight which led to the stabbing. one person is in injured. we are waiting to hear more from police on the victim's condition. here at home, sentencing day for san francisco sheriff ross mirkarimi. tomorrow he'll learn his fate. he pled guilty to a misdemeanor
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charge of false imprisonment last monday. prosecutors did drop some of the charges. the sheriff was accused of bruising his wife during a fight on new year's eve. students looking to attend san jose state university might face new requirements. the university will hold three public meetings starting tomorrow to discuss proposed changes for the 2013 academic year. these include undeclared majors would be classified as an impacted major, minimum requirements for applicants and continuing outreach to low-income communities. monday's meeting will happen at the dr. martin luther king jr. library, the main library there on campus at noon. a new version of the state's $98 billion high-speed rail project could make legislators jump back on board. the rail authority is looking at using existing rail tracks to reduce rising costs while gaining state support. that would mean more than $1 billion in improvements to the line between los angeles and the
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bay area, and new tracks costing billions of dollars would be constructed in between the two cities as well. governor jerry brown is expected to ask for federal aid to begin construction soon in the central valley. "today in the bay" is coming up for you right here at 7:00, and more on that soggy forecast, plus the rest of this morning's top stories, and a heartwarming story of brotherhood. a brother who is waiting for a liver transplant and how his brother is trying to raise money on his behalf. right now here's back to the "today" show.
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we are back on a sunday morning. it's march 18th, 2012. spring only two days away. but much of the country already experiencing record-breaking temperatures out here. and our deepest thanks to this post-st. patrick's day crowd for enjoying the weather and spending part of their sunday with us. i'm jenna wolfe alongside lester holt. still to come in this half hour we're placing the spotlight on bullying. >> it's a conversation we've had a lot about recently after that guilty verdict in the web cam spying case over in new jersey. and now, a new documentary that tells the stories of five young people subjected to harsh treatment by their peers is coming out.
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we'll look at how bullying affects children, adults and parents. >> and then we sort of briefly mentioned this earlier in the show, polar bears and whales and penguins in a way that we've never, ever seen them before. there's a series that's just been released. a new documentary that tells the stories -- >> look at that. >> isn't that absolutely beautiful? examines the mysterious beauty of earth's oldest, coldest spots. it's almost as if it was choreographed. it took years to capture it all. we cannot wait to show it to you. it's definitely worth the wait. >> you can't believe how long it takes to make one shot. >> we're going to talk to the filmmaker about that. plus can we talk? i recently talked -- >> say it like -- >> can we talk? i recently talked with comedy legend joan rivers and her daughter melissa. we discuss their reality show, joan's plastic surgery and what it's like when fans expect you to be on all the time. you know that pressure. >> i do. all the time. all the time lester. and then you work out. and we're both getting older. i work out a lot, too.
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you get the little aches and pains, your joints start hurting a little more and more as you get older. why rush to the doctor when you can just sort of exercise more and work your way through the pain. there's a new book out that offers relief so you don't have to stop exercising al to the. i had a chance to try it with a good friend of ours here at the "today" show, dr. jordan metle. he's a superstar on the left in the blue and i'm sort of tagging along on the other side. but it's a really interesting concept. so it keeps us from the doctors, and sort of getting back out into the great wide open to do some -- >> can he fix my broken foot back years ago? >> i didn't know that. >> he's working on my knee. >> we're going to get a check of the weather from janice. >> i guess i've been doing more of those dips i wouldn't be sick right now. all right. good morning, everybody. nice, enthusiastic crowd has showed up. trudy claims she's 65. i don't believe it. >> hard to believe. >> you look great. and then we have a sweet sixteen. what's your name? >> kiley.
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>> where you from? >> jamestown, pennsylvania. >> have a great birthday. let's check the weather. see what's happening across the country. of course the big news is the temperatures. more record highs are expected to be set today across much of the southern plains, even into the northern plains. from the dakotas all the way to the gulf coast. you'll see highs in the 80s today. some of these records stand for 100 years. a slight risk of thunderstorms expected, as well. and the girl scouts are here. e good morning. from the nbc bay area weather center, i'm anthony slaughter. we are tracking rain showers on the radar this morning. in fact, heavier bands pushing through san jose over towards evergreen and the peninsula which starts to dry up out there and north bay dry conditions for the time being. 41 in santa rosa and same for napa 4. 4 in san jose. showers will scoot through the area today. a few embedded thunderstorms. a little small hail possible as
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well. otherwise back to seeing dry conditions for tomorrow. >> now here's jenna. >> janice, thank you. bullying. it's in the headlines again, after a former rutgers university student was convicted of spying on and bullying his roommate who later committed suicide. nbc's michelle franzen is here with more. michelle, good morning. >> good morning, jenna. it's estimated 13 million american kids will be bullied this year alone, at school, and online. a new documentary out later this morning sheds new light on the problem, and the age group most affected. middle school students. but new cases of bullying like the one of zack greenshields are showing kids even younger are having to deal with this issue. >> i hate you. you hate me. let's get together and kill zachary. >> zack recalls the hurtful song several students began singing last month that field elementary school near detroit. >> with a big shotgun and shoot him in the head, guess what now zack is dead. >> his parents turned to school officials for help and want their 10-year-old son transferred to a new school. >> it's heartbreaking to hear,
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you know, these stories, and you can't do anything about them. >> reporter: from the schoolyard, to the big screen. >> they punch me. strangle me. take things from me. >> reporter: a new documentary takes us inside the world of bullying. and its painful effects, including suicide. >> some kids told him his work was to go hang his self and i think he got to the point to where enough was enough. >> reporter: for a year the filmmakers followed families of bullied kids around the country. including 12-year-old alex. >> i feel kind of nervous going to school. >> reporter: as the cameras rolled, so did the punches. threats, and taunts. on the bus, and at school. for producer and director lee hirsch, making the film was also personal. >> i was bullied as a kid. and i think, as a filmmaker it was something that i really carried with me. >> reporter: hurtful words and actions that go beyond the playground. >> guilty. >> reporter: this past week, former rutgers university
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student dharun ravi was found guilty of charges, including bias intimidation, a hate crime, for spying on his gay roommate tyler clementi, two years ago. using a web cam, and then texting others to watch. clementi killed himself days after the video was released. his parents say they hope the case will help start a dialogue and bring about change. >> we wanted to be here for our son and because we believe this trial was important, because it dealt with important issues for our society, and for our young people today. >> the harsh language caught on tape earned the documentary "bully" an "r" rating and the film's producer have tried to get the rating changed to "pg-13" but one media watchdog group recommends parents with kids as young as 12 see this film and see it together. >> it's a scary look at what's happening at a lot of schools across this country. thank you so much. up next, incredible look at the animals and the landscape of north and south pole.sage n s.er tftse messages. this is the story of one of nature's most perfect foods... quaker oats.
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tell your doctor right away if your depression worsens, you have unusual changes in behavior or thoughts of suicide. antidepressants can increase these in children, teens, and young adults. cymbalta is not approved for children under 18. people taking maois or thioridazine or with uncontrolled glaucoma should not take cymbalta. taking it with nsaid pain relievers, aspirin, or blood thinners may increase bleeding risk. severe liver problems, some fatal, were reported. signs include abdominal pain and yellowing skin or eyes. tell your doctor about all your medicines, including those for migraine and while on cymbalta, call right away if you have high fever, confusion and stiff muscles or serious allergic skin reactions like blisters, peeling rash, hives, or mouth sores to address possible life-threatening conditions. talk about your alcohol use, liver disease and before you reduce or stop cymbalta. dizziness or fainting may occur upon standing. simple pleasures shouldn't hurt. talk to your doctor about cymbalta. depression hurts. cymbalta can help.
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it's freed me to enjoy. it tastes really great. it helps me balance out what i've got on my plate. now i can indulge in the things i adore. i don't have to wrestle with sweetness anymore. truvia. honestly sweet. five years ago the highly acclaimed tv series "planet earth" wowed us with stunning images of nature and wildlife has never seen before. now the makers of "planet earth" are back with a new series premiering on the discovery channel called "frozen planet." it's an incredible look at life at earth's coldest and most unforgiving extremes. vanessa burlowitz is the series producer. good morning and congratulations. >> thank you. >> what made you decide to go to
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antarctica and the arctic and record another part of earth we don't see? >> i produced the ice world deficit for "planet earth" and i thought there's so much more to do here. and this is part of the world that very few people ever get to see. and we thought, you know, it's changing faster than anywhere else. we've really got to get back there and make a whole series. >> it's also an inhospitable place or places that you went to. you dealt with hurricane force winds, temperatures up to 60 below, over several years. just from a practical standpoint, how difficult was it to keep your equipment in operating shape and really work in that environment? >> it's a real challenge working in such cold temperatures, as you say. metal goes actually so brital that it can snap. and if you get your exposed skin onto a piece of metal you can freeze to it. so it's really, really challenging. we use a range of techniques from very high tech, actually building heat inside the cameras to very low tech things that explorers would have done like cracking charcoal, little sticks to actually release a chemical
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reaction. >> i understand you were expecting during part of the shooting and one of your favorite scenes is a mother polar bear and her cubs that you were following for several days. >> that's right. it was really, really fun thing to be actually five months pregnant, when i was fl lowing this mother polar bear and she was sort of playing with her cubs and knocking them -- she was knocking them into what we call the naughty corner or time-out. and i was sitting there thinking i've probably got this sort of thing to come. i definitely learned a few tips. >> it's great footage. and then on the flip side that you followed a wolf or wolf pack. >> yes. >> on a hunt. tell me about that. >> that was an amazing, actually achievement. a real first. we filmed the largest pack of wolves ever, i think 25 of the largest wolves in the world. and we actually followed them from the air and the ground, and managed to get i think one of the most amazing hunts ever. >> did you ever fear for your safety in some of these situations? >> oh, yeah. i mean this is really, really extreme filming. we called it kind of planet earth on speed because it was so extreme. >> and you've also got killer
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whales hunting for sales using a strategy unlike any that we've ever really heard about. >> i'm really proud of what the team achieved getting this sequence. because it's like we've been striving for this for decades in the unit where i work. and it was really a combination of having scientists on board, skippers that were sailing around the clock, and we followed this p pod for two weeks and got 22 separate attacks. skooists have said it's the most extraordinary piece of animal behavior ever documented. >> whenever i watch nature type films it all just unfolds right there in the hour or two-hour, whatever it is, and we don't really think of the patience and the frustration that accompanies this. some of this stuff you just have waited weeks and months and even years to get. >> absolutely. we filmed for 2 1/2 years. we had 70 crews in the field for that time. and the longest shoot was five months. which was two guys in a cabin, filming penguins for five months, with no other neighbors. and you know, this is really tough. it requires a lot of patience. >> you set the bar high with "planet earth" and i think you
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surpassed it with this. thanks so much. congratulations for some great work. >> thank you. >> you can catch "frozen planet" when it premieres tonight at 8:00 p.m. on the discovery channel. coming up next, can we talk? my sit-down with annd an melissa rivers right after this. [ female announcer ] you do so much... to stay healthy. but did you know fiber choice can help support your overall well-being? every tasty tablet has prebiotic fiber from fruits and veggies... that lets your good bacteria thrive and helps support your immune system. fiber choice. an easy way to defend your health everyday. learn more about prebiotics and get a free sample at fiberchoice.com. that's 50% off lenses, including bifocals, no-lines, even sunglasses made with your prescription. so hurry in. sale ends april 1st. lenscrafters. so hurry in. sale ends april 1st. instense i-color™ shadow sticks
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so you're a woman in your 40s with a career and a child and your mom moves in. such is the reality of melissa rivers when her mother joan came to live with her. i sat down with the two of them at joan's home here in new york to talk about their lives on-screen, and off. >> look at this. this girl thought she had everything. do you think that's why they didn't call me the call-backs because of the little mustache? i have two hit shows. do you understand our business?
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there will be years where i had nothing. nothing. you know. and suddenly got fashion police on e! stacey's dress i lived it. it was gold and shiny just like the wedding ring she'll never get. and then we have joan and melissa on we. >> i want to know all -- >> go to the sperm bank -- >> not we. not we. >> i will do it. >> no. >> margie knows a place. >> mom, no. >> you'll get it wholesale. >> in its second season the series takes a look inside the real lives of joan and melissa rivers. who are now living together part-time in california. >> people always say well you know she's only living there for the show. no she's living with me before the show and even now when we're not in production. mom is in my house four days a week. >> remember when grandma puts her hands in the cement today, make sure that mother doesn't push grandma's feet in, also. >> are you fighting? >> what gives you that idea, honey? >> how sit working out the two
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of you? we see the reality show part of it. but in real life. >> i've really gotten close with my grandson. this is great! we're doing something together. twice he actually called me grandma. >> instead of hey lady? >> hey lady. >> it almost seems like you've find of flipped the parental role. you want to get a tattoo. >> oh, my god, what is that? at this age you better hurry. >> how do you handle your mother going off into this direction. >> i think i've been sort of the adult in the relationship for awhile. >> thank you. >> you're welcome. >> and i don't argue with that. mom, seriously, things are great. >> don't touch, you might snap. >> at age 78, joan rivers doesn't miss a beat or a punch line. she also doesn't pull any punches when it comes to plastic surgery. >> it's time for maybe 10,000 mile tune-up on my neck. i'd rather be a good-looking corpse than look like some of the people i saw at my class
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reunion. >> something melissa doesn't support. >> this is ridiculous. at this point, is the reward really worth the health risk? >> there's a number out there that's been reported all over the internet, 739 operations. not true? >> it's actually 473 -- no. i did it as a joke to somebody, and the joke, which is so insane, and it's been picked up, and people now say to me, is it true you had whatever the number is, that many operations? and you go, i would never be -- i would look like a mummy. >> several months ago i was on a plane and you were on the plane, and i don't know if you saw me. you were on the other side of the aisle. i was watching you and you were quiet and you were reading and i thought, what's it like to be joan rivers? the sense that you have to always be on. >> the hard thing about being joan rivers is hostesses expect you to be on. and i learned at cocktail parties, dinner parties, oh, sit joan text to them, she'll be funny at the table. if i don't know you, i don't
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talk. at all. >> so you don't feel this notion to be the comedienne all the time? >> i feel they want me to be it and i can't be it. >> you're shy. so mom gets very shy and nervous and doesn't want to disappoint, so it sort of becomes this circle where she's like, then i just shouldn't say anything because what if they think i'm not funny or what if they think i'm not short. >> i was at a dinner party about seven years ago, sitting there, this dinner party and right in front of me the hostess leaned over and said to somebody, remember what joan says is funny. and i suddenly was like, none of these people have a sense of humor. she had to explain that i was being funny. >> melissa, have you ever had the desire to get into the comedy side? >> no, no. >> she's funny. >> i'm different funny than my mother. i'm getting -- i'm getting -- because she doesn't want to acknowledge her -- >> i don't think i could do stand-up. >> now with joan spending more time with melissa on the west coast the brooklyn-born comedienne has put her beloved
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manhattan duplex on the market. >> gadhafi wanted to rent it. >> you were going to do it? >> he could have roasted pigs in the living room. it would have really upset the neighbors. >> no matter where joan resides she certainly feels right at home with her daughter by her side. >> we're alive and we're working in this business -- >> and two shows doing well. >> somewhere in another life i washed helpers' feet. >> the two of them are very, very funny. >> it seems like it. the place, by the way is up for sale. >> okay. >> she said the price is not new yorkable. >> everything i have plus 80 million and i should be good to go. >> up next, healing your body with exercise. i find the omega choices
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overwhelming. then i found new pronutrients omega-3. it's from centrum. it's a smaller minigel. with two of the best omegas to support my heart, brain and eyes. new pronutrients from centrum. if you're looking for a place to get together,eyes. you came to the right place. because here at hotels.com, we're only about hotels. finding you the perfect place is all we do. welcome to hotels.com.
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so whether you're an elite triathlete or you haven't been to the gym since your high school phys ed class many of us suffer from some kind of joint or injury pain every single day. now a new book is offering a prescription for relief and you won't find it at the pharmacy. let's face it, we're not getting any younger. and those aches and pains of life, they're not getting any better. but why run to the doctor when you could just run, period? >> good to see you again. >> dr. jordan metzl is a sports medicine physician in new york city. >> how is the knee feeling? >> he preaches a different type of prescription. >> the key for us as a doctor is exercise is medicine. >> and he should know. he's run 29 marathons, survived nine ironman triathlons, and has managed to remain healthy in the process. and now this doctor/athlete has written his own version of a
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how-to book called "the athlete's book of home remedies" a treasure trove of ways to prevent and heal common injuries without going to the doctor, or even the gym. >> i really wanted to be kind of a go-to resource for people at any level of activity. somebody just starting out or somebody who's an elite level athlete. to prove you don't need a gym i met up with the good docto in the park to work out four common points of pain. i got to tell you, i feel like i'm not learning squat here. >> here, jenna, we're going to fix that right now. this exercise is great for anybody with achy knees and hips. we're strengthening our glute muscles, hamstrings, quads, you want to make this a little tougher for yourself you can put in a plyo metric. down you go, easy jump. right back down. >> is this seat taken? >> open and ready for you. a lot about movement is balance. we're going to start with
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putting our right foot in front of us just in the air, just like that. and we're going to put both hands out just like this and we're going to slowly sit down in the chair, down we go, beautiful and stand right back up. >> you know where this could be great? at a movie theater while the movie is going on. >> this exercise is called the plank because you're doing a blank of wood. if you have an achy back doing this for 30 seconds, one minute. it activates all the spine, gets a lot 6 pressure on the back. >> plus it just looks so cool. >> there's so much in the way of fancy equipment out there right now. but you seem to think there's one tried and true exercise that has transcended time. >> i love jenna the push-up. we're going to try inverted push-ups for the hard core people. put both feet up on the bench and try and hold your core nice and stable, nice and flat. you're using your body weight to strengthen up your upper body
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muscles. thank you go gently on the ground with our knees. for those people who feel they can't do a push-up they can start like this and straight down. even if you thought i can't do a push-up at all you can definitely do this. just with the few exercises we've done the whole body workout in four exercises. >> love it. >> you really feel it all. >> oh, i feel it. i feel it all. >> the doctor is great. we've both used him. we should get back into the gym. we worked out last year. it was pretty popular. >> we did. i have some things i want to work on. >> i think every year maybe we can change things up a little bit. >> the push-up looked hard from the bench. >> no, you can do that. it's a little harder on the chest. but so it's my formal invitation. will you come back. >> let's do it. we'll put it on tv again. finally we leave you with today's "life illustrated" our series that gives us a look at your lives. >> we're asking you to send us snapshots of your loved ones enjoying the burively weather and just say well testimony to spring. submit them either to today.com,
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our facebook page or via twitter and you just might see them right here on "today." >> that does it for today. we'll see you next weekend and i'll see you back here tonight on "nbc nightly news." thanks for watching everybody and have a great day. ♪ good day sunshine good day sunshine ♪ ♪ ♪ good day sunshine i need to laugh and when the sun is out ♪ ♪ i've got something i can laugh about ♪ ♪ i feel good in a special way ♪ ♪ i'm in love and it's a sunny day ♪ ♪ good day sunshine ♪ ♪ good day sunshine ♪ good day sunshine we take a walk ♪ ♪ the sun is shining down
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burns my feet as they touch the ground ♪

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