good morning, mounting misery, frustration grows from ohio to washington, d.c. where crews are struggling to restore power four days after deadly storms, more than a million homes still in the dark, forcing some cities to cancel fourth of july celebrations. all smiles, new images of the georgia student fighting a rare flesh-eating disease as she's moved to a rehab facility. this morning her parents open up in an exclusive live interview about what is next for their daughter. and tight squeeze, the driver who wowed the world by parallel parking by a gap of 6 inches in his car. he'll attempt his record stunt for us live today july 3rd,

2012. this is "today," live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. and we should tell our crowd on the plaza not to worry, he's not going to try the stunt right here but at a facility safely in new jersey. good morning, i'm natalie morales. >> i'm willie geist in for matt. power crews from all over the country fanned out across the mid-atlantic states hit hardest by the storms. >> looks like a million people will be without power until the end of the week. once again today, the weather is not cooperating, heat warnings are posted in 16 states, we'll have the very latest. and a first look at your fourth of july forecast. also ahead, the latest on the graduate student from texas who was viciously mauled by chimpanzees in south africa. exclusive images of the two

chimps involved. plus, close friends of the victim will speak out in a live interview. >> a ringless katie holmes steps out for first time since filing for divorce while journalist anderson cooper announces he's gay. we'll discuss them with today's professionals. we begin with the sweltering heat and struggle to restore power to more than a million people. tom costello is in bethesda maryland. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. could have picked any number of neighborhoods, the devastation four days after the storm is remarkable. an entire tree here in this case, she reddshredded and this suffered significant damage, a blue tarp hangs over it. look at the size of the tree that was literally cuff in half by the storm. 1.3 million people are thought would be without power stretching from ohio to the

mid-atlantic. the mayor of d.c. is requesting president obama declare a state of emergency and there is an all out mad dash to get everybody connected to power once again. on the national mall this independence week, it's hot, the kind of sticky heat you expect in d.c. during the summer. but without air conditioning, snow cones and water fountains have been among the only ways to cool off. across town, o'brien has been on the porch hoping to catch a breeze with his mom and sister. >> i'm very, very very hot, sleep in the basement because it's so hot inmy room. as soon as i get up from the basement, i'm like sweating. >> reporter: inside, bad news almost everything in their fridge and freezer is headed for the trash. >> so the cheese is going bad and the chicken, that's in here is going bad. this has to be thrown -- i don't want to open it because it doesn't smell good. >> reporter: across multiple states, massive trees and power

lines remain down. >> i want to take a shower more than anything -- i've never desired something more than a shower. >> reporter: maryland's governor says his state has never before seen a storm that came on so strong with so little warning. >> we have now had six fatalities as a result of this storm. >> reporter: among the hottest and most dangerous jobs, the repair crews who done protective rubber gear and untangle a spider's web of electrical lines. >> part of the big mess. >> reporter: a mess indeed. four days after the storm cut a path from the midwest to the mid-atlantic, nearly 2 million people spent monday without electricity. but d.c. and surrounding areas regularly lose power during storms and d.c.'s mayor says something has to change. >> i think people are fed up with power outages and we need a game changer. we need an approach now that is going to address how we stop this in the first place.

>> meanwhile, this family like so many others without electricity, have closed the shades and retreated to the basement. >> we're going back in time, don't have internet, cell phones, it's like, okay, i have to figure out how to live without all of these gadget. >> reporter: my 14-year-old said i can't live like this anymore and it's only been a few days without power. the bottom line, there is such a drain on resources for the police and firefighters in the general montgomery county maryland area, fairfax county, arlington county, virginia, d.c. that some communities are talking about canceling fireworks in maryland. they say police and firefighters will be put to better use elsewhere as we continue to swelter and sweat through this kind of heat. natalie, back to you. >> trying everyone's patience there. tom costello, thank you. let's get to tamron hall at the news desk. >> good morning, everyone. the u.s. is beefing up forces and fighter jets in the persian

gulf in a bid to block the iranian military from trying to shut down the strait of hormuz. iran is lobbying long range missiles capable of striking israel, one day after the european union began the embargo. a new setback for fr firefighters, planes have been grounded. miguel has the latest from colorado springs. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, those fire fighting aircraft were being used here in colorado but today those fleet of what's now seven have been grounded as it's feared four are dead. >> that one up there. >> that will work. >> reporter: a fire fighting workhorse, c-130s can drop 3,000 gallons of fire retardant in just seconds. >> you don't get much better than that. >> reporter: the military plane like this one crashed in south

dakota with six aboard. among the casualties, lieutenant colonel paul michael. >> the north carolina national guard and guard across the country is grieving today. the cause has not been determined. it is being investigated. >> reporter: the c-130s have been battling fires across the country, a valuable asset in colorado where we have a new look at the most destructive blaze in state history. >> all houses on fire. >> reporter: a fast moving firestorm swept across entire neighborhoods, 346 homes swallowed by flames, two killed in the fire. >> house on the left. blocks on fire. >> reporter: within three hours, the community of mountain shadows was destroyed. >> this was like a blow torch through here. >> reporter: mike was among the first to arrive on scene with his team he helped save countless homes. >> you get to see something like this and you feel proud, you know you made a stop there, that

house didn't go out on its own. >> reporter: with some 2,000 people evacuated here, the good news is on the front lines, this fire is now 70% contained. tamron? >> miguel, thank you very much. the chief executive of barclays has quit. mary thompson has the latest. good morning. >> good morning, bob diamond stepping down after the bank admitted to fifing a key interest rate. last week the british bank paying regulators of $453 million fine for fixing what is known as libor, set to choose interest rates including mortgages. this is the last as we hear as other banks are involved in the widening probe. nation's automakers expected to show a slight uptick from may. >> a bit of good news, thank you very much. >> mitt romney is taking a

week's vacation with his family, been spotted grabbing ice cream and rolling around on a tractor with his grapd children and off the campaign trail, he takes a back seat to his wife ann on a wave runner. pretty good vacation. a painful front row seat for a line judge at wimbledon. walloped 118-mile-per-hour serve right into the judge's face, but that was not enough to stop her. she was still able to rule a fault. he's like, i'm sorry so sorry, please leave. >> wasn't his fault. natalie and willie and stephanie, here, catch. >> she's a pro, though, made the call. >> wow, that's going to leave a mark. tamron, thanks. let's get a first check on the weather with stephanie abrams in for al. >> good to see you again. the heat is going to leave a mark across the country. we have that threat for

excessive heat, anywhere from the plains and midwest all the way down into the south. here's a look at our highs, still triple digit readings st. louis to chicago, 99, cincinnati at 96. and the look at where we could see severe weather throughout portions of the great lakes and here's a hack at what's happening outside your door. >> good morning to you. i wanted to show you a couple of live shots starting with the golden gate bridge which is completely clear at this hour. we were socked in with fog yesterday. until about 10:00 so we're going to have a nice day shaping up. temperatures are running nice and mild in the 50s here in san jose where it's clear. warmer day on tap, temperatures will end up in mid-80s as of 4:00 p.m. 74 degrees bay side and 67 degrees at the coast. your seven-day outlook tells the story for independence day. warmest day of the week. willie, over to you. >> stephanie, thank you. now to the graduate student from texas recovering from a brutal

chimp attack in south africa. we'll talk to two of his close friends in a moment. first rohit in south africa. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, willie. the doctors here have really had a chance to reassess some of those injuries. it's clear the recovery is going to take some time. at least it's now happening with his parents close by. they flew in yesterday afternoon. they were distraught and they raced straight to the hospital. andrew oberle is under sedation this morning. he now has his parents at his bedside. after six hours of surgery to help repair wounds from head to toe, he's recovering well but there's a long way to go. exclusive images of the two chimps involved, nicky and am, adeus. he charged the director after the attack.

he's stable and cared for at a zoo in johannesburg. despite the savage mauling by two chimpanzees, doctors believe oberle may have escaped much worse injuries. >> he's in stable condition, remains in stable condition. he's been stable for quite some time now. we believe his progress is doing quite well. he's still under sedation. >> reporter: compare his cash to the woman mauled by a chimp in connecticut. she lost her hands and had to have a face transport. in 2005 james davis suffered major injuries and underwent extensive facial reconstruction after he was attacked by a chimp at a sanctuary. he to have more than 60 operations. nbc news told the sanctuary where oberle was attacked last week the spot where the mauling happened is still locked down and being treated as a crime

scene. looking at the image of that windshield, you can just imagine the terror inside the vehicle the director of the sanctuary, a man who devoted his life to helping chimps was forced to fire trait ahead through the windshield wounding the chimp straight in front of him, a last resort to try to save others. meanwhile we've been told by authorities that neither of the chimpanzees will be put down. >> horrifying. thank you so much. anthony and melissa, andrew oberle's friends and lived with him for the past three years. good morning to both of you. thank you for being with us. >> good morning. >> tony, i know you've been in touch with the family a little bit. can you share with us any new information on andrew's condition and prognosis. >> we haven't really heard too much lately. his family has to go you there. we haven't had too much contact with them. we don't really have any new information on how he's doing at

this point in time. >> tony, what did his mother tell you in that first phone call before she left for south africa? >> she had just kind of told us what was going on and what had happened. we were both shocked and really saddened by what we heard. all we want to know is if he was doing okay. we were both trying to contact the hospital in south africa just to see how he was doing. but it was just shock and sadness, and just a whole bunch of different emotions that we both were feeling. >> melissa, i know andrew called you a day before the attack. how was he feeling about being back again at the goodall institute to work with those chimps. >> he was very excited to be back. he worked there last summer as well. you know, he was excited to get there and do research for his thesis so he could finish up his master's degree in december this year. >> what was it about these chimps that andrew was so drawn

to. these in so many case abused, used for entertainment, choosing not to study chimps in the wild but these particular chimps. what was it about them? >> he really wanted to help them, to do all he could to help them and study them and kind of teach other people about chimp behavior and the right way to bring them up and keep them in sanctuaries like these ones were in. >> tony, did andrew ever talk to you specifically about the dangers of working with chimpanzees? we heard about other stories. did he consider that, know about it? >> of course he knew about it. andrew is a very smart young man. he knew what he was doing. he basically worked with chimps before, worked at zoos his whole life, in high school, st. louis zoo, san diego zoo.

he knew exactly what he was doing, studied the risks. after studying chimps the last three or four years, he knew what he was doing. >> before we go, his parents say already they expect him to be back working with chimps after he recovers. does that surprise you about him in the not at all. andy is a very strong person. he would never put any blame on anybody. he's going to get right back out there and keep doing this if he can, definitely. >> i know the two of you set up a facebook page to raise some money. we wish you the best and please pass on our best wishes to andrew's family. thank you for being with us this morning. it is now 7:16 and here is natalie. >> willie, thank you. now to the latest on the split between tom cruise and katie holmes. she was spotted here in new york city on monday without her wedding ring. holmes first public outing since filing divorce papers. nbc's jeff rossen has more. good morning.

>> reporter: good morning. look, if katie holmes was looking for privacy, boy, did she choose the wrong city. any move she makes she lands on the front cover days in a row since she's been here since the divorce filing. she's living with her daughter suri inside this exclusive and lush building in manhattan in a nice area called chelsea. there are new reports out this morning why she wants sole custody. katie holmes emerging monday, wading through the mob scene, the soon to be single actress out and about in new york city and photographers covering her every move. her wedding ring gone. even in the midst of chaos, katie looks relaxed, hardly the portrait of a woman in a custody battle with one of the most powerful stars and her neighbors have a front row seat. >> holds her daughter in a loving way and she is a great asset to the building and it

handling herself great. >> reporter: now questions about tom cruise's religion playing a role here. did sign tolg break them up? >> i think it's a privilege, something you have to earn. cruise seen in this church promotion promotional video. he's a leader in the church but katy was raised catholic, "people" reports she was concerned about her daughter, suri. >> the church of sign entolg is a critical issue as it relates to suri, she's at an age where she's going to go to elementary school. will she be raised and educated as a scientologyist or something else. this is issue new one. >> reporter: katie wants sole custody. spottedwide her hello kitty

purse. cruise wants to move the case to california. >> new york has a presumption of sole custody while states like california have a presumption of joint custody. she has a better chance of taking sole custody of the child here in new york than probably anywhere else in the country. >> reporter: the couple owns property from new york to l.a., beverly hills to colorado, italy to england. so it comes down to a judge deciding where suri really lives. a bicoastal battle with katie firing first shot, their daughter caught in the middle of this new celebrity spectacle. quite a birthday present for tom cruise, he turns 50 dealing with all of this in iceland where he is shooting a new movie. we reached out to tom cruise's lawyer, no response. we reached out to katie holmes' lawyer, no response. the church told us this is a private matter and declined our

request for an interview. >> jeff rossen in chelsea, thank you. it is 7:20, here's willie. >> for the first time journalist anler son cooper has publicly acknowledged he's gay. good morning, mara. >> reporter: anderson cooper has been open about much of his life but always stayed mum on the question of sexuality until now. in an e-mail published monday, he ended years of speculation, addressing what he calls the gay question. >> we decided toquestion. >> we decided to -- >> reporter: a star anchor on cnn and budding talk show host, anderson cooper is used to covering the big stories. >> there's certainly a lot discussed with the reaction -- >> reporter: now he's making news, addressing the issue of his sexuality for the very first time. in an e-mail to "the daily beast" published monday cooper states, the fact is, i'm gay, always have been, always will

be, and i couldn't be any more happy, comfortable with myself, and proud. >> he's probably at a place in his personal and professional life where he feels he can be completely honest and the two don't have to be mutually exclusive. >> reporter: dubbed the silver fox, cooper rose to prominence as a fearless, sometimes opinionated reporter, comforting officials in the aftermath of katrina and even getting attacked during the egyptian revolution last year. the son of famed heiress and socialite gloria vanderbilt, cooper has been open about his life discussing painful details on his talk show like when his brother committed suicide in 1988, jumping from a balcony in front of his ther. >> i thought i was going to jump over after him, but then i thought of you and it stopped me from doing that, you know.

>> yeah. >> despite years of speculation, the one thing cooper never opened up about was his sexual orientation. in the e-mail he writes, "by remaining silent on certain aspects of my personal life for so long, i have given some the mistaken impression that i am trying to hide something, something that makes me uncomfortable, ashamed or afraid. it is simply not true. >> putting it in the letter really allowed him to keep all the control over the announcement. he got to say exactly what he wanted to say, but he also did it in a really quiet way so there's not too much attention to this announcement. >> reporter: cooper would not comment on whether or not he's currently in a relationship. in his e-mail he did say, i love and i am loved. willie. >> mara schiavocampo, thank you so much. just ahead this morning the georgia woman fighting a rare flesh eating bacteria out of the hospital now and headed to rehab. her parents open up in an exclusive live interview. first this is "today" on nbc. ♪

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right now, save $600 on this maytag french door refrigerator, just $1,598. >> 7:26. good morning. i'm jon kelley. fire forcing more than 20 people out of their homes in san francisco early this morning, now a man is in custody in connection with that fire. we have cell phone video capturing the fire. it happened about 3:00 this morning near bay shore and augusta. the flames destroying one building and damaging three. a care giver telling us two elderly people were able to escape with minor injuries. >> the 88-year-old helped the 92-year-old get his pants on. he had a tube in his hands. but when he was coming down but the fire, they are taking him out, red cross is checking him out. he dropped his shoes because the fire burned him on his hands. >> he made it out.

>> made it out. thank god. >> neighbors helping neighbors. police arrested a 61-year-old man on suspicion of arson. we're happy to report nobody was seriously hurt. >> as we get closer to the fourth of july holiday the temperatures keep rising. >> a nice one, jon, taking a live look at san jose as we widen out, it is completely clear here in the city right now. san francisco, you still got a little fog sticking to the coastline. it will not linger as long as it did yesterday. 83 in los gatos, about 79 degrees in san jose. and we warm you up all the way through the fourth of july. in oakland tomorrow, 74 degrees. really comfortable weather ahead. of course we look at all of your coastal forecast when it comes to the fourth of july. highs tomorrow peak at 88 degrees inland. >> a couple of tough stretches for your drive. highway 4 westbound, as you get into concord, an accident over a

half hour ago. it caused all of this backup out of antioch. you're okay for 242 and the walnut creek interchange. 580 slows but starts to recover. now you are at 26 minutes out of the altamont pass. a smooth flow there. in the 40s, the worst is around the 280/880 interchange. >> good to see. thanks a lot. we'll be back with another update. a tough time.oing through but we can fix it. ♪ chevron's been here in california for 133 years. we work hard. we support 1 in 200 jobs in the state. we support each other. and we spent over $450 million dollars with local small businesses last year. and, together, we can keep this... we're committed. ...the great state of california. committed to california. ♪

you don't want to try this at home as they get going there. you're looking at stunt drivers showing off incredible moves with mini coopers. they will be incredible moves. they even get up on two wheels. they are all part of the team that recently set a new parallel parking recordly squeezing into a spot less than six inches longer than their vehicle. so naturally we wanted to know if they could do it again under the pressure of our cameras watching live as they rev it up and start going there. there are some stunts. wow. we'll find out if they can do it

for us live in the next half hour inside studio 1a. that's crazy. there you go. now you're seeing the stunts. wow. not that anybody would try that at home because nobody could do that. inside studio 1a, i'm natalie morales with willie geist in for matt. >> two-wheel motion. one thing to do it on tape and release it for youtube, another thing to do it live. see if they can pull it off. ahead sammy in the city, a website starring a 10-pound pomeranian around new york city. the owners say he's been locked out of the site by his ex-girlfriend. now he's suing to the tune of $500,000. we'll talk to him coming up. >> very cute dog. then it's tuesday. that means it's time for "today's" professionals. a take on the tomkat split, a new campaign to stop women from putting on makeup behind the

wheel. we want to begin the hour with a georgia student fighting a flesh eating bacteria. she's out of the hospital. we'll talk to her parents in a minute. gabe gutierrez has more on her recovery. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, natalie. she's in a rehab center in the atlanta area. her family is not disclosing where due to privacy concerns so she can focus on her recovery. understandable considering all she's been through the last two months. by most accounts, these pictures should have never been possible. >> everything about this is just amazing to me. amy copeland having her mom put on her makeup, smiling, clutching a stuffed animal and rolling out of the hospital to rehab. by all accounts the 24-year-old college student should never have survived the aggressive flesh eating bacteria that took her limbs. >> it's remarkable for three

reasons. number one, god's will. number two, her will. number three, i think the wonderful care she had at the hospital. >> reporter: in virtually all of these new pictures amy is smiling. you'd almost never know the agony she endured, the ordeal chronicled in her father's blog. andy copeland wrote his daughter occasionally cries from the pain but stops because crying hurts her stomach. somehow she wished him a happy father's day. it's easy to see why her story has inspired so many. in augusta, hundreds honored her over the weekend raising money for her long road ahead. >> our goal was to be able to help with her prosthetic. we found out one of her legs was going to be $85,000. >> other supporters picked and sold sun flowers near atlanta. >> the bad thing that happened to her, it's good to feel we can help her out. >> reporter: aimee's family expects in-patient rehab to last six to eight weeks. during that time they will build

a wing in the house to finish recovery. when she's home she wants to finish her thesis. >> her main goal is to actually be able to graduate and walk, literally, in december to complete her degree. i'm amazed that she would set such an ambitious and lofty goal, but i would not be surprised in the least to see her achieve it. >> reporter: by most accounts ambitious. by all accounts, extraordinary. and aimee's hometown here in snellville continues to rally behind her. we're told several contractors have volunteered their efforts to help aimee's family build that extra wing inside their home. natalie. >> so nice to hear that. gabe gutierrez in snellville, georgia. thank you. aimee's parents are with us exclusively. good morning to you both. >> good morning. >> good morning. >> so nice to see those smiles on aimee's face. donna, let me start with you. you were in the ambulance as she was transferred to that rehabilitation facility.

can you describe her spirits? what was her reaction to be able to move on from this? >> she was very excited when we got in the ambulance. but it didn't take her long until she was out like a light and she slept all the way. she was in high spirits. she couldn't wait to get there and get started. she is just so motivated. when we arrived, she was still motivated. >> great. andy, of course, she has a long road ahead, still six to eight weeks, i believe, in rehabilitation there. what are some of the skills she's going to have to relearn to carry on with living a normal life. >> you know, it's amazing the things we take for granted in our life. the ability to get up and go fix a cup of coffee and come sit back down again. she has to relearn that ability just to get up and go get whatever needs -- whatever she needs to satisfy her needs. you know, whether it's to go to the bathroom, to fix her something to eat.

so she just has to learn to be able to have some mobility in her life again. incidentally, right now, as we speak, that process of relearning that ability has already started. she's already 30 minutes into her first rehab day. >> great to hear that. i just can't help but admire her so much and her courage and strength. i know she wants to walk at her graduation, after receiving her master's diploma. do you think that's a realistic goal? >> you know what, i believe, first of all, she's a very prayerful and meditative young lady. i believe there's still a lot of prayers pouring out for us all across the world. i believe when you have the power of prayer behind you, i believe anything is possible. when you couple that with aimee's determination, her resolute will, yes, i do believe that's possible. >> and donna, as we heard in gabe's piece, we understand your daughter is still dealing with

some of the phantom pains. can you describe her level of pain now? is it getting any better? >> i wouldn't say it's getting any better. she's still having a lot of pain. i believe rehab, they are going to try some methods with her, readjust some of her drugs that she's taking. i think that's going to help her a whole lot. >> i imagine as she continues on with her recovery, the emotional aspects come front and center now. how are you all as a family helping her move on and understand what has happened to her and keep so positive? >> well, you know, i think we all deal with the emotional aspect every day. that's i think where the family unit comes together and we support each other. so she's going to continue to need our support. that's why it's really good she is local, that we can see her every day. she told us she wants to see us

every day. we've got a lot of things going on. there's nothing right now more important than the health and well-being of our daughter aimee. she continues to recover. i believe our presence will be a mitigating factor as far as the strength and power of her recovery. >> we've seen that in your blogs, the whole family getting involved there. you all are an inspiration and really taught us a lot about the spirit of going through a challenging part of our lives. thanks so much and our best to aimee. >> thank you. >> and now let's get a check of the weather from stephanie abrams who is in for al. >> "today's" weather brought to you by advil. make the switch to advil now. heat is the big story again today. look at triple digit readings all the way through places like nebraska, into the 90s into chicago. as we head to fourth of july, we

could see storms into the northeast and also into northern minnesota. here is a more specific look at new york city. it looks like the threat for a thunderstorm will lessen as we head through the day, which will be great news because there's an here's a look at what's happening outside your door. >> good morning. we have a gorgeous day shaping up. a live look over san francisco. you can see the golden gate bridge. let's take it live, zoom in for you. this is all that's left of the marine layer. almost 2 1/2 to 3 hours earlier than yesterday. a warmer day ahead. temperatures in san jose about 79. 83 in los gatos. 69 degrees in san francisco today. by tomorrow we'll peak in time for the fourth of july, great looking viewing for the fireworks tomorrow. >> we have some friends visiting from kansas. where are you from? >> topeka. >> missing that heat? >> not at all. >> natalie, for your forecast, go to weather.com 24 hours a day. >> all right. stephanie, thanks so much.

coming up next, jenna bush hager hits the open road with her sister to explore the magnificent desert and canyons of utah. up next a former couple's legal fight over the adorable dog. we'll meet the pooch caught in the middle after this. [ male announcer ] every day, thousands of people are choosing advil® for their headaches. my name is sunshine and i have three beautiful girls. i like taking advil® for a headache. it nips it in the bud. and i can be that mommy that i want to be. ♪ [ male announcer ] take action. take advil®.

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designed for women's health concerns as we age. ♪ it has more of seven antioxidants to support cell health. that's one a day women's 50+ healthy advantage. back now at 7:43 with a dogfight brewing over a popular website that featured an adorable 10-pound pomeranian. we'll meet sammy and his owner, first tamron hall has the did he taste. tamron. >> willie, this is a case of he said, she said all over a site of sammy and the city. this is a tale of a small dog in

a big city. sammy, an adorable 10-pound pomeranian became an online sensation valued, according to the dog's owner, at half a million dollars. scott smith said he created this website called sammy and the city last year along with his sister jessica and his then girlfriend. the site filled with pictures and videos of the cute canine posing all around manhattan had 40,000 visitors a month. now scott smith is claiming his ex poached the pooch's website and the two broke up last year but the two worked on the business for months. scott said she changed the passwords and prevented him from uploading images of sammy. but the dog belongs to scott. he plans to sue anna for $500,000 and launch add new facebook page, sammy and the world, posts a new picture of sammy in a shower camp, rain

coat or simply relaxing. in a statement anna says, she has not been served a lawsuit. the idea for the website was hers. she purchased the site, took every photo, shot and edited every youtube video. claimed scott gave her co-ownership of sammy and it was he who changed the password. she ended the story saying lies have short legs. >> i love him. he makes me happy. unconditional love. perfect. >> as for how much money that website generates, anna claims it's never made a dime. willie. >> thank you. scott smith is with us exclusively along with his sister jessica and the famous sammy. good morning to you all. >> good morning. >> we have to point out sammy was vein, really enjoying watching himself on tv. >> he's gotten used to it. >> let me ask you in the plaines of terms, what are you accusing your ex-girlfriend here. >> look, she locked me out of the website somewhere in the second week of april she locked

me out of the website and instagram, our main driver for our traffic to the website. we used that platform the most. >> she said, in fact, in that statement to nbc that you signed a notarized document that gave her co-ownership of sammy and that you, in fact, were the ones that changed the passwords, not her. how do you respond to that? >> if that's the case why can't i get into the website or use instagram. why did i have to change new names and facebook pages. i can't get into my website. >> in addition to that, why would my brother sign over his dog to a girl he was dating for a year? he's had the dog for seven years. this dog is his life. he would never, ever -- this would be like giving his child to a girl he was dating. it doesn't make sense. >> i want to come back to that a second. >> she shot all the videos. >> i did the writing, she did the pictures, i did the networking around the city and the world. >> she said this was a fulltime

job for her and she was running the site. >> go on, sorry. >> she was actually looking for a job, talking about the fact she wanted to get another job. this wasn't her fulltime thing. she was doing us a favor. she was looking for another job. she was actively sending out resumes. >> which is totally okay. there's nothing wrong with want agnew job and going out and doing other things. what is wrong is want new things, go after them, and lock us out of the website and photo sharing application. that's wrong. >> scott, you're suing for $500,000. >> yes. >> you say the site is worth $1 million. >> at least. >> the dog is adorable, the site is fun but that sounds like a big number. how did you get to that? >> the site never made a penny. absolutely right about that. no revenue for the site even though our platform is ready. >> how do you get to $1 million. >> i'll give you one but not others, because i'll use them in

the lawsuit. instagram site, a million dollars. let's talk about what that meant per user. 35 million users, facebook paid for that. we had instagram, $750,000 there. $1.5 million. excuse me, one platform. >> we agree this is not instagram or facebook. >> definitely not. i'm just saying there's a value for an audience. >> i have to ask you quick before you go you told the "new york post," this is one of the biggest atrocities that ever happened to a family. a lot of people read that and say this guy needs to get a grip. what do you say? >> you think what you want. when you let someone in your family the way you let them in ours. you come to them with an opportunity, after being heat go by thomson reuters, an explosion

in social media, to do what you did takes i don't know what kind of character. >> we've got to run. sam y, hang in there, buddy. come back and let us know how this turns out. >> thank you. >> scott and jessica, thank you all. just ahead an attention grabbing campaign to stop women from putting on makeup while they drive. we'll talk about that and more with "today's" professionals. first these messages. i read an article... well, i read the majority of an article online about how older people are becoming more and more antisocial, so i was really aggressive with my parents about joining facebook. my parents are up to 19 friends now? so sad. ♪ i have 687 friends. this is living. what!? that is not a real puppy. that's too small to be a real puppy. [ male announcer ] venza. from toyota.

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only from venus & olay. just ahead the master driver behind that record setting parallel parking job gearing up to try and recreate his amazing stunt for us live, as you see it there. >> getting a little practice in. >> there you go. warming himself up. going to be hard to do. he's got six inches to uphold that record between each car. >> think we'll see a wreck this morning? >> no, hopefully not. >> first your local news and weather. [ male announcer ] it isn't just your mammogram.

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>> it is 7:56. good morning. i'm jon kelley. we can tell you police have ton down a camp at lake view elementary school where parents and teachers have been protesting nearly three weeks. video posted shows police standing guard near camp there on the school grounds, proprotesters say officers moved in and ordered everybody to leave. some parents were arrested, others did leave voluntarily. they are now protesting the closure of lake view elementary and four other schools in the oakland school district and plan a rally tonight set for 5:00. >> time for a check on your weather. christina loren says yes, the weather gods are smiling. >> indeed. another beautiful day. we are the envy of the nation, most of the nation from mississippi to michigan suffering from extreme heat. not the case for us. the natural coolant is back in the mix but not as much coastal

fog and cloud cover so highs are going to be 3 to 5 degrees warmer as a result. 84 in fairfield. 84 in concord. 79 in redwood city. fourth of july fantastic in fremont. especially because our mike inouye will be out there, grand marshal of the parade. 89 degrees, peak warmth through the fourth of july, then cool off, leveling off toward the weekend. here he is, the grand marshal of traffic. >> look at the wave. it's moving much more smoothly, 580 around vasco and first. not so bad for that portion of the tri-valley. a smooth drive for 580 approaching the castro valley. 880 slow down a bit because of the volume of traffic. we'll get a look at the volume at the bay bridge. not a concern. metering lights were turned on but haven't had reason to use them. >> smooth on a tuesday. thank you. for the latest check us out at facebook. [ male announcer ] now at your neighborhood subway:

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8:00 now on this tuesday morning, the 3rd of july, 2012. we're thankful for everyone gathered at rockefeller plaza. if they stick around for friday morning, they are in for a real treat because flo rida live in concert on the plaza. willie, are you a dancer? >> i'm not a good dancer but a dancer. >> i feel a dance coming on on friday. it's going to be fun. >> the overbite. >> willie geist with the overbite in for matt. just ahead the driver who could be handy in new york city. >> this is a guy who set a world record by parallel parking into a spot that was less than six inches larger than the car itself. maybe you see the video online.

he did it in the blink of an eye. the question is can he do it again and do it live. as you see, he's revving the engine now in new jersey. coming up, he'll attempt to recreate the stunt live. >> these are professional drivers, so you're aware. speaking of professionals, in "today's" professionals they are here to tackle some of the hottest stories of the day. as we learned yesterday, anderson cooper has come out. is it important for high-profile celebrities to make their sexual preference now known? also talking about whether to spank or not to spank, certainly a subject with huge controversy. a new study comes out and shows spanking can have consequences later on in life to a person's mental health. debating all that. >> i don't know that i want to hear donny talking about spanking. that's another matter altogether. later jenna bush hager takes her sister on a road trip down famed highway 12. she'll be here to show us the

fun the twins had along the way. >> first inside to the news desk. tamron hall with the top stories. hey, tamron. >> hey, willie, everyone. more than a million customers waiting for electricity to be restored after weekend storms that swept from ohio to washington, d.c. high winds damage power lines, uprooted trees and killed at least 22 people. meantime blistering heat will stretch from the midwest to the mid-atlantic states today. british drugmaker glaxcosmithkline agreed to pay $3 billion in fines to settle cases involving different drugs. that's the largest settlement for health care fraud in u.s. history. the justice department says glaxcosmithkline promoted the popular paxil and wellbutrin for unapproved uses. also failed to disclose avandia could cause heart problems. dara torres has retired. the 45-year-old swimmer came a

up short last night in her final bid to make a record sixth olympic team. tarmoh with drew from the tiebreaking runoff for the spot in the 100 meter. she conceded to training partner allyson felix saying her heart wasn't into competing again. and olympic fever got the best of two british lads who tried to grab the torch on its relay route. never a good idea. now for a look at what's trending today. a quick roundup of what has you talking online. cnn's anderson cooper, a popular google search after coming out as gay in a letter published in "the daily beast" website. his revelation came as facebook rolled out new same-sex marriage icons featuring two men or two women in a cake topper style. new internet images of naomi watts have fans doing a double take. she was done up as princess

diana for the biopic due out next year. pit bull could be heading to the great white north. he's part of the promotion to perform at the walmart that gets the most likes on twitter. so far the remote kodiak, alaska, walmart has a huge lead over miami stores thanks to the internet campaign. so mr. 305 is going to come mr. 907. that's the alaska area code. i looked it up. now 8:04, back to the weather. >> in the 212. we're going to take you into kansas city, missouri. what's your area code? >> 64701. >> just the area code, don't need the phone number on tv. that's your zip code. look at the whole family. how innovative with the sign. one, two, three, flip. god bless kansas city and america. love that. let's have a look at the forecast as we're heading into our holiday weekend. we are going to see in and around temple, texas, obviously

some warm temperatures. isolated thunderstorms and 91 degrees today. not a ton going on but storms in the midwest headed into the northeast. they won't get here until the day tomorrow. so today it's going to be sunny into the northeast. also through the center of the country. but the threat for storms through the great lakes and also the northern plains. now here is a look what's 8:05 on a tuesday morning. traffic light on the golden gate bridge. we'll get the official report from mike in few moments. it is nice and clear. we had a full deck of clouds earlier that have cleared out. throughout the day we'll see thick fog near the coast for the next couple hours. that, too, will clear. a warmer afternoon by 3 to 5 degrees, then looking nice and sunny. that crystal clear across the greater bay area for viewing the fireworks. expecting a little fog rolling in 11:00 p.m. at the coast. willie, back over to you. >> all right, stephanie, thanks very much. up next "today's" professionals

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last season was the gulf's best tourism season in years. in florida we had more suntans... in alabama we had more beautiful blooms... in mississippi we had more good times... in louisiana we had more fun on the water. last season we broke all kinds of records on the gulf. this year we are out to do even better... and now is a great time to start. our beatches are even more relaxing... the fishing's great. so pick your favorite spot on the gulf... and come on down. brought to you by bp and all of us who call the gulf home. back now at 8:09 with a new installment of "today's" professional. they are primed and ready to tackle the hottest stories of the day. all right, guys. let's get going here. let's talk about the latest news in the tomkat split. not shocking to a lot of people. some details emerging, katie

apparently renting a apartment in new york city a couple weeks ago, apparently to give her more -- to allow her more of an opportunity to fight her face for sole custody, because new york laws do apparently give more weight to that here. right? >> the issue is establishing jurisdiction for the purposes of custody. and the child has to have the connection to the jurisdiction. not just the parents have to have a place to live. a lot of wealthy people have apartments or houses here in new york. does the child go to the doctor here, does the child go to school here, does the child have some connection to new york state. that's the real reason for the case to be heard here. i think actually tom has the better argument that the case should be heard out in california, which is where their actual living situation was. >> do you see this, then, becoming like a bicoastal custody dispute then? >> this is a big jurisdictional issue.

that's probably the first thing they will argue over. the next thing, of course, is going to be child custody and child support because in new york state, the person who has primary custody meaning 51% of the time is the one entitled to the child support. and in new york state you're entitled to 17% of the combined income of the parent. but only up to a statutory cap. now you've got big money. got big money. he's saying -- >> the legal aspect. >> i'm not here to tell you the gospel, the law. it's a lot of money. >> the court of public opinion. in the court of public opinion does katie holmes have a leg to stand on here? as some sources are saying she's trying to shield her daughter from scientology. nancy, she knew what she was getting into when she married tom cruise. >> she's the young dough eyed thing falling in love with the big legend. he may have prompted to facilitate her career. as she became more mature

thought what am i doing here, i want out. the core is whether this is a sham marriage from day one or she's just grown into a different person. her fierce desire to protect the maternal interest of the child. >> two observations. number one, when people get married, what are the things they talk about, do we want kids, how do we raise them religiously. obviously scientology is a big part of tom cruise's life. this is a key part of his life. number two, as somebody raising children with a mom, we work so hard to get along, because with every divorce case parents who get along, the kids are great. they don't, the kids get screwed up. shame on both of them, shame on both of them if they can't figure out a way to get in a room for 24 hours in the middle of the country and figure out what's best for this little girl. shame on them. any parents who can't do that --

>> don't hate each other more than you love your child. it will be very interesting to see if that plays out here. >> let's move on now. a lot of other news to get to. anderson cooper as you know came out yesterday in an eloquently worded e-mail to "the daily beast." here is what he wrote in part. it's become clear to me that by remaining silent on certain aspects of my personal life for so long, i've given some the mistaken impression that i'm trying to hide something, something that makes me uncomfortable, ashamed or even afraid. this is distressing because it is simply not true. then he goes on to say, the fact is i'm gay, always have been, always will be and i couldn't be any more happy, comfortable with myself and proud. now star, of course, he will have a powerful voice being an advocate for the gay and lesbian community. but is there a certain sense of obligation for celebrities now to make their sexual preferences known? >> i don't think people have to, you know, come out and say i am

oriented in one direction or the other. i'm a little bit of a cynic. i've been in daytime television a long time. >> you think he came out for another reason? >> he's a daytime talk show host. when the ratings slip in daytime, the hosts tend to tell you lots of things about them. i remember oprah said she smoked crack. oprah said she was pregnant at 14 and considered suicide. there are times you generate information for ratings. whoa, i'm sorry i said that. i mean i say bravo. >> the reality is more people will turn to the show. the reality today his numbers will pop. here is my take on an obligation. they have an obligation, anderson or anybody else, to do what's right for them, their life, their career. if you are a super action hero and you are gay and you come out, it will hurt your career. it's wrong but people will look

at you jumping from buildings. it's a shame but it is. in anderson's case, he's so entrenched in the news business, he'll be fine. had he done that 10 years ago before he was established it might have hurt him. >> everybody will be shocked. in the business, the worst kept secret. everybody knew anderson was gay. it laos him to go with his partner, in a social scene, not always be solo. free to be who he is. >> what about reporting in parts of the country where that might not be accepted. >> you're a journalist. why should being a single woman be different than being a gay man. if you want to go report from that part of the world, who you are is who you are. >> let's move on to spanking. to spank or not to spank. in our parenting news a new study shows spanking could lead to mental health disorders, a study conducted by canadian

research team children spanked at a higher risk for depression and alcohol abuse later in life and more likely to hit their own children. this is a very controversial topic. >> i don't think it is controversial. this came out this week in pediatrics. it adds to the idea that when you hit somebody, it doesn't make kids better and they learn from that. this study followed kids and looked at anxiety, social isolation, the fact that they themselves would act out abnormally in social situations. unfortunately parents still do whack their kids but there's no benefit from it. >> you say no benefit. 70% of americans according to the boston globe think spanking sometimes is necessary. 90% say they have spanked. >> we do that because we say we turned out okay. >> show your hands. i got spanked. >> once or twice. here is the interesting thing. have you to define spanking. with my kids we'll be holding hands and i give them a little squeeze. >> that's not spanking.

>> obviously sitting there whacking your kid. >> different. >> obviously there's a different. parents choose their rate. discipline is a good thing but it can go too far. >> my father was really a disciplinarian but he would never spank the girls. he would never spank the children ever. >> but he would spank the boys. >> no, we had no boys. >> the old military belt coming out. >> that's a whole other things. >> star, donnie, nancy, thanks. can he do it twice. the world record for the parallel parking. you don't want to miss it right after this. people have doubts about taking aspirin for pain.

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fit into the tightest spaces. jenna, we've been waiting all morning, take it away. >> reporter: this is fun. the mini usa headquarters. a professional stunt driver. he's able to set the unofficial parallel parking job, 5.9 inches, five inches larger than the car he was in. it's an unbelievable feat. you know how i know that? i gave it a try this morning. this was me early this morning trying to get in. i had full confidence going in. i thought i could do this in like 30 moves. it took me 30 minutes and i resorted to just double parking. let me show you how this is supposed to be done. here he is doing this in beijing. he did set the world record. he fit into the tightest spot. has he a way of doing this. a system, routine, if you will. i wasn't privy to this routine when i did this this morning. so we're back out here live now and we're going to get to him in

a second standing by. i want to introduce to you jim mcdow. don't worry what it says on your shirt. worry about it. you're vice president at mini usa. welcome. thank you for letting us destroy your parking lot with this. >> thank you for coming. >> reporter: i have to ask you a question. some of these cars have an american flag tattooed on the top of them. it's for a special ten-year celebration you have planned. >> this is mini's tenth anniversary in the u.s. we're excited. it's been 10 exciting years. people didn't know if mini would make it in the u.s. it's been a great success, more than 450,000 motorists. >> you're going cross-country. >> it's a cross-country drive. twelve days later we end up in los angeles. >> fantastic. before you do, we'll cue him. we'll have about the basic training, routine, all of it. you look like you train on a daily basis. >> absolutely. >> this is it. international cue for begin

parallel parking. there he comes. he's going to do this more gracefully than i did it this morning. >> does that make you nervous? these are your cars? does that make you nervous next time you see that? >> that might be my next company car. it makes me very nervous. >> what is the training for this. before i ask you, that was awesome. high-five. i guess the steering wheel gets a little -- yes, a round of applause. this is a hotly contested world record. he did this in 5.9 inches. it went back and forth for a while. >> back and forth over several years. he won in a competition in china. we're delighted he can with us today. >> besides protein shakes how do you train. do you wreck them on a daily basis. >> you start farther apart and move closer and closer. you can see the parking lot had

a lot of practice. >> change the car, puts more pressure on the tires for this. >> this is a stock car just with more tire pressure. >> is this a quintessential do not try this at home type of thing. >> i would start with a very wide berth. >> by wide berth you mean a mile and a half. >> a mile and a half. >> are you because you host this, are you part of the contest at all. have you tried this? >> i have not tried this. i'm doing the drive starting tomorrow. >> how was this, good, bad, ugly? >> good. i love mini. >> how did you do here? let me measure this. that is not bad. >> yeah. >> how do you get out? push, right? >> it takes 30 times back and forth, back and forth. >> that's the way i did. >> reporter: thank you so much. that was awesome. come live in new york city. we need you here on a daily basis. jim, all the best across the country and thanks to mini for letting us come out. >> our pleasure to share

motoring fun with you. >> reporter: thanks, guys. we'll send it back to you guys in the studio. >> jenna, first try, national television live, sticks the landing. >> unbelievable. i'm going to try that in hoboken later today. >> you are not. he had ice water in his veins. >> just like that, inches of the other car, unbelievable. >> i'm impressed. we're back after your local news.

good morning to you. 8:36. i'm laura garcia-cannon. police are searching for suspects in a violent home invasion that sent an elderly woman to the hospital. three suspects confronted the woman outside a home on hanford street last night and forced her into a home where her adult son and two other people were staying. a fight broke out as the 62-year-old woman was shot. she was take on the hospital for surgery. her condition is unknown. her son was also injured, but he is expected to recover. union city police are asking anyone with information to contact them. let's check in with mike. he has a look at the commute. >> overall a lighter flow of traffic as you might expect this holiday week tomorrow, holiday for some. looking at southbound 808 and 237, an earlier accident cleared from reports.

we have slowing thickening around for westbound 237 top of your screen. northbound 101 toward the middle we have an accident at julien to the shoulder, and we don't see a lot of slowing. yellow means in the 40s throughout. northbound 101 as well as 280 and 85. let's get a live look at oakland. a smooth drive. the volume is picking up a bit around high street, speeds into the 40s coming north san leandro but not a big deal. the toll plaza, backup to about 880. thank you very much. for the latest traffic and news updates, check out nbc bay area on facebook.

morning july 3rd, 2012. got a great crowd, preholiday crowd in rockefeller plaza, getting a jump-start maybe on their fourth of july plans. for millions of americans, those plans include a barbecue, of course. just ahead we're going to help you iron out your menu with delicious and easy recipe that is sure to impress. >> that sounds good. also ahead "america's got talent" judge howie mandel. his show just kicked off the

live elimination round last night in new york city. who is in trouble? break down the competition coming up. >> i caught on late but love it. part two in our special series, america the beautiful. jenna bush hager and twin sister in a convertible, utah's famed highway. they got on a horse somewhere there. on the incredible journey. got onto love it. >> i'm so jealous. first a check of the weather from stephanie abrams filling in for al. hi, stef. >> i come down to wish kay and phil and what do they say. >> rain in arkansas. >> done and done for the anniversary present. i'm going to send rain to arkansas. that easy. can you believe it? july 4th forecast across the country. a little stormy to the south.

unfortunately doesn't look like arkansas is going to get in on that rain. sorry, guys. i'll make it up to you, i promise. new york city, a beautiful show over the hudson. looks like that risk for storms will lessen as hey, good morning to you. it's a tuesday. the tuesday before the 4th of july. and we're going to warm up today and tomorrow. you can see, though, golden gate bridge starting to clear out nicely. we had a full deck of clouds earlier. let's get right to it. highs today comfortable for the first part of the day, then a little on the hot side, 85 degrees in livermore, 69 in san francisco, 78 in santa cruz today. and as we head throughout the remainder of the week, temperatures are going to hover in the mid-80s. >> celebrating another 50th anniversary, congratulations. some more celebrating with willard. we're talking birthdays over 100. good morning, willard. >> come to the garden while the

dew is on the roses. i love gardens, this is the prettiest. happy birthday from smucker's to our birthday buddies. tyler, texas, a great little town. we have pearline williams, 106 years old. longevity, don't waste time being angry. beatrice barr, trenton, new jersey. 105 years old today. loves to travel and also loves to play card with her friends. you can't beat the combination. paul and jean hardy from decoral, iowa. 75 years they have been married and love each other very much. how about that. can't beat that. happy birthday to julia degni. utica, new york, 100 years old. a lifelong writer.

she's always wanted to be, that was her ambition and still is. she's so happy she reached her goals in life. bill quinn, ft. worth, texas, is 7b. as a retired newspaper publisher, guess what, he loves to read newspapers. all newspapers. and we have sina hayes from winston-salem, north carolina, 109 years old today. has a strong religious faith and is always very positive and loves cookies. back to new york. >> all right, willard. thank you very much. up next "america's got talent" judge howie mandel in hmm, it says here that cheerios helps lower cholesterol

as part of a heart healthy diet. that's true. ...but you still have to go to the gym. ♪ the one and only, cheerios back now at 8:36 with howie mandel with a judge on nbc's "america's got talent." he's seen everything from

rapping pirates to contortionists. live shows got away with 12 of the 48 contestants competing for a shot -- oh, my gosh, look at that guy. a million dollar prize. howie, good morning. >> good morning. >> do you cringe when you see an act like that? >> i think that kid is going to go almost all the way. he's amazing. he's got a great story. he is homeless. they just relocated him. he doesn't have a phone. i call him gumby. >> look at that. >> can you imagine if gumby could dance, that is what he would look like. >> how are you liking being in new york. you're on howard stern's home turf. >> i am. i'm thrilled howard joined the show this year. i think it's a real asset to our show. i was a little apprehensive. i've got to say, coming here, we're actually doing it in newark, the electricity and energy is far beyond what you could ever imagine. feels a lot different than what it feels in hollywood. there's 3,000 people in the audience, a huge theater and

exciting. >> overall how has the talent been this season. >> the talent pool is deeper than it has been. not so much in singing. it's great. we're a variety show. after last night's, i think there were four standouts. it was real easy to tell who the four, i believe, finalists will be. >> we'll get to last night's competition in a mom. i want to get to a controversial issue, there was a contestant on the show timothy poe who claimed westbound a wounded warrior from iraq, turns out his whole story was a hoax. >> a lie. >> military records did not show that he served in the military. he used another soldier's identity. >> he had a picture of another soldier. i don't even know if he stutters. >> question to you, you had a very strong reaction to what happened? >> i did. i was appalled. i think at this time -- you could say he had -- i don't know if this was a plan or he thought of it ahead of time. sometimes a good story is what propels somebody ahead.

but this story at this time in our lives in this country is not something to play w there are so many heroes out there. he went from hero to zero in like one night. he doesn't deserve to be on the show. we left him on the show. >> he was eliminated. >> his talent wasn't good. when you remove the story from the talent, i don't think he compared to the other talent on the show. >> moving to other competition. i love this act. david garibaldi, they are all painting and dancing at the same time. >> not only are they painting and dancing at the same time, they do it differently each >> here he is last night and he's painting. you have no idea what he's painting and then at the end, he paints the back, flips it around and lo and behold we have mick jagger. he can do something different each and every time. he's a crowd pleaser. i believe he's going on. >> you think that's one of the final four? >> absolutely. >> also a lot of singers in the competition. we know the last couple of season, the last six seasons five of the winners have been

singers. >> yes. >> what do you see in a pool of singers? >> we do have a lot of good singers but they're going to be up against a lot of things. in weeks to come there are things beyond the singer. this singer -- her name is -- is it jennifer? i can't remember. she's a girl from australia. but that's the point. the point is i don't even remember her name. i don't think she rose to the occasion. i think she's got a good voice but not memorable, as opposed to these two, this is maurice and chanise. i think she's a star on her own. this is a nice combination. >> people like to see father/daughter. that's a great story as well. also little star, 6-year-old girl performed last night. you and sharon liked her. you said she was a little bit of a shirley temple. >> i think she is. i don't think she'll win this competition or maybe even go much farther but i think people are watching and you'll see her on disney, you'll see her in movies, i think she's got a career. she's adorable. >> but howard stern wasn't as

thrilled with her. >> i think he was talking specifically about this competition. adorable really isn't enough to go on in the competition and i think she's beautiful and she'll be a big star. i don't think she'll be the million dollar act. >> you have to remember to be a show in las vegas, a 6-year-old in las vegas, that's a hard thing -- >> that happened forever. michael jackson was there. >> tonight, first live round of elimination then. you're breaking down, you've got 12 acts. your top four if you had to choose. >> the scott brothers, the two brothers that danced together, chanise and maurice, david garibaldi. who is my fourth? >> the father/daughter. >> edon! the little jewish boy. he has the voice of an angel. >> what did you think of his act? >> i think he's amazing.

he's so unassuming. you can't judge a book by its cover. >> do you think he appeals to a mass audience as a whole? >> well, you know what, he is chosen. >> there you go. he's the chosen one. that was good. >> thank you. >> howie mandel, always good to you have here. and you're inside today. >> i brought a jacket. >> we brought you in. next time you're here you'll be back in. >> i love you. thank you. >> any time. you can catch "america's got talent" live results tonight at 9:00, 8:00 acentral time here o nbc. >> coming up jenna bush will share her adventure. ♪ strea-ea-ea-ea-eam ♪ stream, stream, stream... ♪ strea-ea-ea-ea-eam ♪ stream, stream, stream...

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we're back now at 8:44 with mayor of our special series, america the beautiful. this morning's destination "today" contributing correspondent jenna bush hager made it a family affair. jen ark, this was a fun one. >> this was a fun one. good morning, willie. on day two of our journey, we moved from the snow and ice in alaska to the high desert canyons of southern utah. the best way to take it all in? can you say road trip? it is a land unlike any other, a place of shadows of canyon, magical. through it all lies southern utah's highway 12, one of 25 all american roads where the road is the destination. >> highway 12 is 124-mile route through some of the most beautiful and remote country in the western united states. visitors come just to experience and travel on the road.

>> that sounds like a road trip to me. why not travel in style. 1964 cadillac convertible style. just for fun, i decided to bring my sister. let the road trip begin. >> yeehaw. >> you got it sissy. >> we started in the red canyon where the road and the scenery become one. >> it's cool. look at this. >> it's awesome. this looks like a kind of dangerous cliff we do not want to drive off. we've reached our destination, bryce point. >> bryce canyon. >> i told you it was named after ebenezer bryce. >> this is unbelievable. >> it is unbelievable. >> we were so inspired we decided to hike the navajo loop and check out the famed thor's hammer. we wanted to get closer but that required a step up. >> the animals will walk on the

outside edge of the trail. don't panic, scream. if you get nervous, do like the horses do and close your eyes. >> we'll be coming around the mountain when we come. yeehaw. it was beautiful country, barbara and me and my trusty steed ringo. >> come on, ringo. >> ringo is a tv star. let's go. >> right before we top the rise, make sure you take a deep breath and hang onto it because the view could take your breath away. >> seriously. >> seriously. >> this is beautiful. i feel like we're on another planet. >> after dusting off back in the caddy, mossy caves. taking a break in the headwaters of the falls. every moment a memory. >> i feel like tom sawyer.

>> next the grand staircase, the monument. some of the most exploratory ter toes in the united states. this canyon called egypt one where rick showed barbara and me how to rappel. >> a lot of weight. >> just like that. >> that was awesome. well done by the sissy. >> booties down low. >> move the feet, move the butt, move the feet. body bridge. >> there's a bone. >> that's a german tourist. >> down the canyon. >> my little sister just foll following me around. >> after scrapes and a few scares, we made it. >> good job. >> we're down. okay. >> after the hike out, it was back to the caddy and a well deserved treat. right here in the middle of the desert, the shooting star drive-in. >> and now on with the show.

>> with our classic caddy, we fit right in. tell me how you came up with the idea to create such a fun spot. >> i've always loved drive-ins. i fell in love with southern utah and put the two together, having a drive-in movie theater and being in a fantastic gorgeous place. >> the silver screen under the shooting stars. if the journey is the destination, then this destination was the perfect end to our road trip. it was definitely a road trip to remember. i have to say bryce canyon national park, truly incredible. you've got to go. >> your guide was right, absolutely breathtaking. was there any fighting like when you were little kids and your mom a dad had to separate you in the back seat. did you fight on the road trip? >> we did as little kids. somehow as 30 years old, we managed to keep it sane.

i don't know how we did it but we did. >> i'm impressed that i'm paying you to go on road trips with your sister. >> that's true. i have a pretty good job. it was kind of thelma and louisesque but without an explosion. >> happier ending. i'll take that. we'll round out the series tomorrow, you'll visit georgia's cumberland island. >> incredible. >> jenna, thanks. up next a quick and easy menu for your fourth of july barbecue. next on nbc. kitsch been, we have stepped out

to do grilling and chilling before tomorrow's fourth of july holiday. from ft. worth, texas, good to have you here. nice and hot here on the grill. we've got 24 hours to go for our holiday. you're already starting with the steaks. >> obviously got to have a steak on fourth of july. i want to talk about a couple of things. skirt steak. there's two kinds of skirt steak you can guy. skirt steak has become sexy meat like your shoes. >> thank you. >> you want to make sure you don't buy the wrong skirt. this is the inside skirt steak and this is the outside.

two cuts. as you mover out the skirt of the animal, this one is more tender. this will tear apart. when you buy the steak, this is going to be a little cheaper. this is going to be tastier. all right? >> okay. >> a little peanut oil, not olive oil. >> why peanut oil. >> because it has a higher flash point and doesn't get bitterness on the steak. olive oil sounds great, more expensive but doesn't mean it's better for the grill. >> salt and pepper. >> no marinading. >> this is the easiest barbecue you'll ever do. >> this has to be the hottest grill in america. >> i do three things when i cook, hot grill, white wine. kathie lee and hoda can't have all the fun. >> that's right. >> put this on here like this. >> right on there. >> takes about three or four minutes a side. >> you want sort of medium rare. >> medium rare. absolutely. >> i've got some done here.

scoop those potatoes out, put them in the bowl. these potatoes have been simmering in peanut oil as well. >> in a cast iron skillet on the grill. >> that's right. everything on the grill. >> the potato salad we're making, is that right? >> that's right. >> you don't need to worry about that. >> the flame. >> make sure you have room on your grill to move the meat around. put your face over there, it's really good for you. while those are grilling, bring this over here. slice these up like this. all right. now for potato salad. >> these are a little crispy. >> slightly soft. >> i've got red bell peppers, some chives, some chilies, anaheim chiles, spice it up a little bit. >> if you don't like that much spice, stick with pepper. >> you can mow your yard with scissors, too, you know what i'm saying. a lot more complicated. >> point well made.

i'll give you that. >> now, this is olive oil. >> right. >> good amount of olive oil. mix that up for me. >> you got that. pepper in there. rainfall okay. like so. >> beautiful. >> beautiful salad. >> when cutting your steak up, you do it on the grain, against the grain, what do you do? >> this is the last thing i want to talk about. the skirt steak, it appears you slice it this way, you go again the grain. turn it sideways. pulls apart. when you slice skirt steak, this is important. if you go lengthwise you can't pull it. >> can i try it? i'm from ft. worth teb texas. >> there you go. >> delicious. >> cauliflower. >> this is great. i'm sure on the website how to do it. smoke the cauliflower for four or five hours, slice it, grill it.

>> that's delicious. thank you so much. happy fourth of july to you. >> is that entire piece mine. >> all for you, tamron. still ahead, talking about -- i'm going to be talking about eating. good morning to you. 8:56. i'm laura garcia-cannon. thousands of bay area nurses walking off the job again this morning, protesting their contract with sutter health. members of the california nurses association have been negotiatinging a new contract since last summer and they say the hospital is asking for too many concessions and cuts to benef benefits. officials at all debates in oakland have hired replace nurses to fill in. this is the union's actual third

strike since may. hoping for some sunshine today. let's toss it over to christina. look at that fog. this is the only place we could find it for you, though, laura, spectacular sun just about everywhere across the bay area. 8:57, highs will end up in the upper 80s through the 4th of july.

ro back how with more of "today" on this tuesday morning, july 2nd, 2012. natalie morales with willie geist. frozen yogurt for dessert. how you can eat at your fourth of july bash. >> and then once you have the menu down we'll help you get into the spirit of things, decorations, fun activities for kids of all ages at your family get together for the fourth. later, we could all use this advice, how to get the best night's sleep.

>> it helps if you don't have your alarm going off at 4:30. we'll help you destress. first inside and get a check of the top headlines from tamron hall who is standing by at the news desk. good morning. hey there, natalie and willie. more than 1 million customers are still waiting for electricity to be restored after weekend storms that swept from ohio to washington, d.c. high winds damaged power lines, uprooted trees and killed at least 22 people. meantime blistering heat will stretch from the midwest to the midwest. a student is recovering. andrew oberle is under sedation with his parents at his bedside. we've been given exclusive coverage of one wounded in the attack. he charged at the owner just after the attack.

medalist dara torres has retired. she came up short in her final bid to make a record sixth olympic team n. track and field american sprinter jeneba tarmoh with drew conceded to training partner allyson felix saying her heart wasn't into competing again. and olympic fever got the best of two british lads. tried to grab the torch. the mystery of amelia earhart's disappearance is getting under way. kristen dahlgren has the story. i hope it will increase women. >> reporter: when amelia earhart vanished over the pacific, her disappear answers became one of the enduring mysteries of the time. ric gillespie has been searching

for more than a quarter century. >> you think she was a castaway. >> reporter: on the tiny pacific island not far from her destination, gillespie says they found a woman's compact, a flight jacket zipper and a jar that may have once held freckle cream. >> who else would that stuff belong to? yes. >> reporter: gillespie said the new photo taken three months after her disappearance appears to show landing gear on the reef where he believed ire heart safely landed her plane before it was washed away. 75 years to the day, a new mission is going out hoping this time technology means they finally find some answers. armed with specially designed deep water submersibles, the team will map the kragy bottom confident their trip will soon tell them where earhart's journey ended. kristen dahlgren, nbc news, honolulu. take a look at the future of man in space.

this is the orion capsule and will take humans further into space than ever before. 2020 will travel to an steroid, by the 2030s, set to take astronauts to mars. a new study from today.com and dating site match.com say 39% of single women would rather give up sex for a year than favorite food. only 16% of men said the same thing. in case you're curious which foods were more popular, chocolate, steak and pizza were most commonly chosen. what's life like when you're the younger brother of one of the biggest stars or movie stars? not all champagne and red carpet for brad pitt's kid brother. he shows off his less than hollywood lifestyle in a new ad campaign for virgin mobile. meet doug. >> what i like about the car? look at it. it's sporty, stylish, me. >> usually starts on the first pull. >> this baby right here, it scans, prints, faxes, 1200 dpi black and white.

i'm going to upgrade to color. right now this baby gets it done. >> doug said he's mistaken for his brother brad three times a week. like his brother, doug devotes most of his time to philanthropic efforts. got to get a closer look there. it is five minutes past the hour. back to stephanie with a check of the weather. >> hey there. we have a family from dallas. how long did it take to get from dallas to new york. >> about 30 hours. >> 30 hours with these two little ones. look at the little ones. tamron's family is on the plaza. tamron, i walked up to this beautiful woman and said is that your sister? >> no, i'm her mother. >> her mother and nieces and nephews. >> there's another one, four of them. let's have a look at the forecast. if you're taking a family road trip, how long do you think you could end up in a car with tamron and these kids. how long do you think you could make it? >> an hour. >> a look at the forecast, especially with this heat. look at it, right through the center of the country into the 1-teens as we head into the

afternoon hours. a threat for storms throughout the great lakes and also there throughout the northern plains. now here is a look at what's good morning to you. 9:06. just a beautiful day shaping up over san francisco where highs are slated to end up right around 70 degrees. perfection yet again at the does and bayside today, but it's going to be a little on the warm side in places like concord and livermore, where we are expecting the mid to upper 80s. 84 degrees in concord today. as we head throughout the tomorrow, the 4th of july, looking great for fireworks. we'll get a clear shot in oakland, 74 degrees at about 5:00 p.m. tomorrow, peak warm, then level off. >> all right. tamron, i'm passing the mic here. go for it. >> tamron, back to you. >> thank you. >> thank you, family, and stephanie. now to joy's diet israeli o.s. "today's" nutritionist joy

bauer, grilled veges, frozen treats and marinades as we head to the fourth of july. >> is that your mom? she's gorgeous. >> she's a good mom for sure. >> wow. >> she loves your advice like so many others, so let's get to it. >> thank you. >> jackie in scottsdale, arizona. jackie, good morning. >> hi, good morning. how are you? >> we're great. what's your question? >> my question is, do marinades techniques from becoming carcinogenic when placed on a grill. >> it's a great question, so timely. the answer is yes, dramatically. just so everybody knows when meat, talking about chicken and pork and fish exposed to high temperatures like grilling, unfortunately these carcinogenic compounds called hcas are formed. the good news if you marinade any meet for an hour with fresh herbs or dried herbs and seasonings you can lower the cancer causing compounds by up to 90%.

scientists think those herbs and seasonings like oregano, thyme, antioxidants are super healthful. so marinade. great question right in time for barbecue. >> jackie, thank you, enjoy your 4th. a viewer e-mail from christie. she writes, in preparation for the 4th and the hot summer days ahead, i'd like to know is frozen yogurt really a healthier option than ice cream or not? >> the answer is, it all depends on what kind of ice cream you're comparing it to. frozen yogurt and light ice cream are pretty much made with the same ingredients, low fat dairy. the only difference in yogurt is the cultures. we don't know from brand to brand if they survive the freezing process. don't automatically go with frozen yogurt because it sounds healthier, frozen i don't get, light ice cream, both good.

>> joining us via skype, jill, what's your question this morning? >> hi, good morning. i'm planning by fourth of july menu. what are your favorite vegetables to grill and how do you prepare them? >> i like all vegetables grilled. so my favorites, i would say that i like to take summer squash and eggplant. i do all sorts of different colored red peppers, onions. i slice them half inch thick, mist them with oil spray, canola, grapeseed or olive oil, sea salt or kosher salt and black pepper and five minutes on each side. i also do it with whole asparagus and whole mushroom caps. what's trendy now is take a whole head of lettuce, i like to use romain, very, very dry, slice lengthwise, keep stems intact to leaves don't fall off. put it on the grill, one to two

minutes on each side, a nice grill flavor and then dress it like a salad. >> you taught me the difference between starchy vegetables. >> unstarchy vegetables unlimited so low calorie. >> an e-mail from diana, she writes, i'm making turkey burgers instead of beef as part of my fourth of july feast but want to jazz them up. any ideas for flavoring my burgers. that's what you hear from people. >> they are boring. ground turkey is a clean pallet. you can dress them up with anything. i have a gazillion. i'll throw them out in twitter land. capri caprese burger. you can add in crumbled feta cheese, olives, roasted reply pepper, oregano.

sometimes tamron, i take the easy way out and make tex mex burger by adding taco seasoning. >> the easy way would be coming to your house. >> come on over. >> planning for your fourth of july celebration. then what to pack in the bag for a perfect day at the beach but first these messages. drop in now for sears' big 4th of july appliance event. right now, get up to 30% off all kenmore appliances and floor care. plus, get up to 15% off all other brands.

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family fun, food and games. robin has festive ideas.

good morning. we have 24 hours to go, how to set the mood. >> fourth of july is a holiday, so people shouldn't work too hard. the rules for fourth of july entertaining, keep it simple and fun. all the ideas are easy to do and kind of working with what you have. >> know your audience a little, too. if you're going to have kids, adults, something for everyone. >> this is something for everyone. something everyone loves, fireworks. they aren't safe, sometimes not allowed. we found this website that creates custom murals. we found this one in a firework print, which is amazing. it's really easy to use, comes with an adhesive, stick on the garage, side of the house, kids can take pictures in front of it. it's really cute and reusable. >> backdrop for festivities. >> i think so. >> hanging decorations. >> let freedom fly. went to party city and found these festive hanging lights, banners, balloons, americana crazy, fourth of july. found them starting at $1.99.

>> good. >> it's good if you wait this long, everything is half off. >> perfect. let's talk about what kids can do as well, busy in the kitchen. some cool crafts. >> fourth of july can be a long day. you want to keep kids busy. we have old-fashioned crafts. pin wheels are summery. retro and old-fashioned. my sweet muffin.com. kids can assemble and play for them. adults and moms can use them later. >> in a cupcake maybe. >> everyone loves balloons. >> these are great. >> this is a fun kit. comes with six balloons, animal faces, red, white, blue, so you can have fun. >> kids make it again themselves, break it down and put it on there. >> i feel like this will keep your kids busy for a really long time. >> also retro, the rockets here. >> these retro games, don't always have to play nintendo, found this company.

what they have done is send you a different crate of crafts. fun rockets. they are kind of learning while having fun as well. >> great. okay. you say -- a lot of people say horseshoes instead corn rolling. >> this is hugely popular called corn holding. it's a fun beanbag game. very democratic game. everyone can play. >> first try. >> yes, you're a natural. >> probably the wrong distance, a little too close. >> there is strategy, blocking you. comes in fun patriotic colors, it will look beautiful in the backyard. you know what, that's safer than horseshoes. >> still i love this. my kids would have a blast on these. >> exactly. what's good about these, from a company called walk-a-roo. ergonomic. if you're awkward walking they push you forward. an s bend to the shape.

anyone can use them, ages six and up. >> you have to be tall. i tried during commercial break, not for me. i'm not trying again. hula hoops, these have lights. >> hula hoops fun and popular for adults and kids. >> i can't get hurt on this. this is a small hula hoop. >> kathie lee is a genius when it comes to hula hooping. >> everyone will get involved. >> i used to be good at that. it will whittle your waist right down. >> all the lights you can play in the evening. >> i like that. food bars, for kids, the classic hot dog but you set it up on a great station. >> working with what we have. everyone will have hot dogs. why not make it cooler, a hot dog bar. condiments, get crazy. things kids want to eat. it's interesting to them. >> never put sauerkraut or jalapenos on.

>> shot glasses, ketchup and fries. also presentation, radio flyer wagon, used it to house old-fashioned pop. >> very retro. >> everything looks good, easy to execute. all about having fun. >> robin moreno, i love your ideas. >> feeling sleep deprived, aren't we all? how to unwind and get the best night's sleep ever but first these messages. stay in the moment sanya focus lolo, focus let's do this i am from baltimore south carolina... bloomington, california... austin, texas... we are all here to represent the country we love

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willie, i think you had an emotional moment this weekend. tell us about your dad, legendary bill geist on cbs. >> he'd like the word legendary. some of you may know he's a correspondent for cbs sunday morning. this past weekend he made a big announcement about something he's been keeping very close to the vest for sometime now. >> viewers for this show don't miss a trick. some of you have been speculating that i might have parkinson's. well, i do. i've had it for years, told no one, not even my kids. didn't want them to worry. didn't want to be seen as the sick guy. today i'm telling you. >> that was a big deal for him. we've known for several years now that he's had parkinson's. if you watch sunday morning, watch my dad on tv, you can tell. so that's why he felt like he needed to come forward.

he was never ashamed or afraid of it. he just didn't want to be pitied, the sick guy, as he said. he wanted to be hills. that took a lot of courage for him to do that. i think he really did ultimately because he thought he could help some people. he's already been in touch with the michael j. fox foundation, the parkinson's disease foundation. one in new york called bachmann strauss foundation. he's been talking to him. over the last 48 hours, to hear stories and e-mails and tweets. >> look at that picture. >> his star on the walk of fame last year. >> how proud are you as his son to see your dad, you know him better than anyone, show this brave moment. >> that was my most proud day with my dad. that was not easy for him because i know what he's gone through over the years to deal with it. so very proud and more proud that he's going to now help people and he's been hearing from others with parkinson's who said, thank you for having courage. thank you for showing you can live with the disease and have a sense of humor. >> shout out to your mom.

>> >> that's great. >> we'll be right back after your local news.

good morning to you. it's 9:26. i'm gars garls. laura garcia-cannon. parents and protesters are booted from a camp at lakeview elementary school in oakland. video shows police standing guard near the camp on school grounds. protesters say officers moved in about 4:00 this morning. they ordered everyone to leave. some parents were arrested. others left voluntarily. we spoke to one protester on the phone who says the response was too har b for what it calls a peaceful protest. >> 20 police, you know, which is prettiry duy ridiculous for wha been a nonviolent protest to this point and we have not been grif. they're still coming in aggressively. this is the final word they have on this? it's pretty ridiculous to me. >> the parents and teachers are

protesting the closure of lakeview elementary and four other schools in the oakland school district. they plan to rally at the school tonight at 5:00. union city police are searching for suspects wanted for a violent home invasion. at least two people inside a home on hanford street were hurt when three suspects burst inside. 562-year-old woman was shot by a suspect, but police have not released her condition. her son was also injured, but he is expected to survive.

welcome back. 9:28 now. temperatures have climbed into the 60s across the bay area. we're headed towards the upper 60s in san francisco today, a little warmer in oakland, the mid to upper 70s. in san jose, forecasting a high around 79 degrees. as we head through tomorrow, we will peak warm days ahead, 9 degrees for your wednesday, 79 bayside and 70 degrees at the coast. then we'll level off for the upcoming weekend.

the great news is looks crystal clear for fireworks tomorrow at 9:00 p.m. across the bay area. here's mike with the drive. northbound 85 at camden, word of an accident. looks like it may be moving to the shoulder, but look at the backup, slow from highway 87 up to the scene, also 85 northbound and northbound 880, slow in stretches. 101 past the airport, no big surprise. couple other accidents clearing from the roadway here. golden gate bridge, a smooth drive out of the north bay. hasn't been a problem all morning. out of novato a smooth drive as well, laura, coming into the city a pleasure. pretty out there. thanks for joining us.

♪ >> that is none other than flo rida. wherever he goes, it is a dance party. wait till friday, willie geist. flo rida bringing his music to rockefeller plaza this friday. if you're planning on being in the area and you want to come over for our dance party, come on down. willie promised us a dance. >> and my cast, all working. >> i'm natalie morales along with what was willie geist and tamron hall. coming up, if you're headed to the beach for the holiday or any

time this summer, we'll show you how to pack a perfect beach bag, show you what to bring along and leave beyond. >> plus what can you do for a good night's sleep. we all want to know, especially on this couch. a night cap pay not do you good. no drinking before bed. we'll tell you how to adjust the routine to get the much needed zzs. >> no wine. >> homemade gnocchi. unusual sauces like cherry hazelnut and pea pesto. first stephanie abrams with a check of the weather for us. >> we'll start with the radar. storms blasting through portions of the midwest. i looke at aport delays. i saw none right before i came downstairs. looks like things are doing good at airports if you're doing traveling this morning. that doesn't mean they didn't

cancel flights. just saying there was no delays. as we head into tomorrow, there is a slight chance for some storms into the northeast and also into the upper midwest. well, we're going to turn up the heat just a touch for today from yesterday's highs by about 3 to 5 degrees starting with san jose, just a beautiful clear sky overhead here, and you're getting that same clear sky over san francisco. highs today will be comfortable, bayside and at the coast. a little warm inland, 69 degrees in san francisco, 83 in los gatos and 85 degrees in livermore. might have to use that a.c. as we head through the second half of the day in some of our warmer inland cities. tomorrow we will peak 89 inland. >> again, the heat goes on, no break. >> thank you. coming up next, packing the perfect beach bag for everything you need for a perfect beach day after these messages. ♪ ♪

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♪ this morning on happy fourth of july today packing the ultimate beach bag. the editor-at-large of "shape" magazine. good to see you. >> thank you. >> perfect timing, a lot of people will va kay this weekend. >> you need something beautiful, comfortable, roomy. this is from old navy. what we love about this, it's straw. it won't be ruined by sand or water. >> you don't want to take cloth because it gets sandy and hard to shake out. size matters. moving on to what's inside. sunglasses. >> sunglasses to protect the

skin around your eyes. make sure you're not bringing expensive sunglasses. they tend to break, myself lose them. we found some great ones. $22. great colors. vintage or modern. check this out. they actually bend, some of the styles. >> folding. do these match my outfit. i kind of feel like blues brothers. >> fold these and put them in your bag again. not too much space wasted. >> lovely. moving onto scarves. you've got to have scarves. >> you might not associate scarves with the beach, but you can wrap them around your head with a pony tail, as weather gets colder, or as a sarong. >> the colors, so soft. moving onto sunscreen. >> sunscreen important every single day but especially when you're going to the beach. this is aveeno hydrosport, spf

30. this is wonderful going into the pool or beach. you can spray this on your wet skin and jump right back into the water. >> dermatologists are making sure people of color do not forget to pack it as well. just because you have brown skin doesn't mean you don't burn. keep that in your bag. stay hydrated. >> you have to drink a lot of water. have is from vapur. you can freeze it, fill it up. when you're done, fold it up and throw it in the beach bag. time saver. >> moving on to protection, got to look cute. >> you want to look great but don't want to look like you're trying too hard. i like waterproof mascare and lip tint. lip treatment with spf protection, moisture and just a hint of color. >> unofficial tip i use this on my cheeks, too. a little color on lips and cheek, you're done. we have to keep entertained.

>> lots of books you want to be reading this summertime. if you want an ereader, that's good. in the sunlight, this is the light for you. the nook, low light. anti-glare protected screen. that way you can read in the sunlight. super lightweight, less than seven ounces. >> i love that. what a great size. what's a vacation without pictures. >> got to cherish memories. nickon cool picks s30, waterproof, great gadget, lots of colors. different colors, throw it into your bag. of course it's easy to use. anybody can use it. >> you said waterproof. >> that's fantastic. >> you've got to have your tunes at the beach. there you have it. this the coolest speaker i've seen. >> echo gear, iphone, android and blackberry. also waterproof as well. if you look ips, put your smartphone in there and store credit card, a little cash, id. getting up to 30 hours of battery life. >> credit card, id, lose

everything at once. awesome, i love the speakers. thanks, so nice to see you. up next, how to get the best night's sleep ever right after this. so... [ gasps ]

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♪ and set the stage for a great day.

good morning. on get started today, getting a good night's sleep, according to the center for disease control, insufficient sleep is now a public health epidemic. what can you do to make sure you're getting your sleep. contributing editor for "prevention" magazine. good to see you. >> thank you. >> we live in a world where people brag about not sleeping. i only need two hours, four hours to sleep. why is it so important? what do you want to tell people? >> sleep is the foundation to health, the key to disease prevention. we can tie it to weight gain, poor stress management. only 60% of americans are suffering from some type of sleep disorder. >> let's help people get a good night's sleep. coffee good in the morning, not

so good in the afternoon. >> caffeine whether from coffee, tea or soda has a half-life for five hours. for some coffee is still with you in the evening interrupting sleep cycle. i tell patients, you have to figure out if you're a fast or slow metabolizer of caffeine. you may need to minimize to morning caffeine only. >> try to cut it off at noon if you can. next one i was surprised by. i thought if i worked out at night before bed, the energy going, adrenaline going, can't get to sleep. it feels that way actually. you say not true. >> not true. here is what we know about exercise. exercise helps with sleep as long as it's on a regular consistent basis and exercise increases energy. for some it affects the sleep cycle. they have an adrenaline rush and they want to get going rather than go to sleep. do what's best for you. if you work out at night and up half the night, move it.

if you're okay with the morning workout and get to sleep, nighttime is fine. >> unwind at home. once at home from work and settled, how do you do that? >> we've been there. high pressure day at work, walk home, kids, bills, a million other things to do. it's hard to go from one high-stress situation to the next and get to sleep. really try to find quiet time. that could be five minutes where you sit quietly or drink a cup of tea or like a lot of men i know hide in the bathroom for a period of time to relax there. >> i don't know a lot of guys hide in the bathroom. that might be your own stuff. >> next one you'll break a lot of hearts. you say no night cap before bed. >> the irony of alcohol we have it to relax and unwind. unfortunately that is messing up the sleep cycle. what alcohol will do, especially for women, interrupt rem sleep, deep stages of sleep. you're waking up a lot at night even though you found it easier to fall asleep. you wake up feeling exhausted.

alcohol is a diuretic. it will keep you up going to the bathroom frequently. >> full of sugar, too. next tip, unplug before bed. >> i can't stress this enough. first a couple of things. you need to have an electronic-free bedroom where you don't have lights coming at you as you try to relax and go to sleep. blue led lights will stimulate the mind, keep you active and engaged, drop meltonin making it tough to fall asleep. >> that's important. i know that feeling too long. sense the phone, e-mails coming, you've got to get it away from you. next one, once you're finally in bed, you say it's good to get a little romantic to fall asleep. >> sex helps with sleep. there are two reasons why. two hormones, for men there's a huge release to fall asleep, the cuddle hormone, that's more beneficial in helping them fall asleep. so it does help with sleep.

>> you just did men across america a great service with that information. another interesting one, meditating you say can be helpful. a lot of people don't meditate. should they start? >> meditation takes you back to relaxation. meditation about brain training and turning down sympathetic nervous system that's in overdrive all the time. learning to meditate rather than counting sheep sometimes is a better strategy for you getting a good night's sleep. >> great advice. we all need it. doctor, thanks so much. good to see you. mom made gnocci with homemade sauces. how to do it. first "today" on nbc.

kitchen, gnoccii one, two, three, home made pasta easy to do. chef owner, good morning,

michelle. have you a new little boy at home, i understand. >> ten months old delicious baby boy. >> zachery, congratulations. >> we talk about baby food. >> you making baby food a lot at home. >> you have no idea. >> fresh from scratch. >> of course. a chef has to make that. >> that's a lot. you cook all day at the restaurant. >> and my husband, too. >> you've got a lot on your plate and a contributor to nbc latino.com. why do you want to do that? >> i'm blogging about cooking at home for the baby. he was born with reflux and colic. i think through a lot of foods i've been making for him, i've cured him of his acid reflux. >> that's great. >> combined the jewish chicken soup with latin style plantains, all things very starchy, keep him sated but keep that food down. >> you'll show us how to make gnocci. you say it's simple. people are intimidated by it. >> i meet people super

intimidated, couldn't be easier. >> you bake them at 400 degrees until they are really soft, about an hour. scoop it out with a spoon as easy as that. have you to have one of these. >> can't use anything else. >> not really. it's really not very expensive. this is how it looks after you run it through that food mill. you pour eggs. this is very important. it's one egg per pound of potato. this is two pounds of potatoes, two eggs. >> you mix it up. >> these are yukon if you'd rather, a golden more beautiful color. you mix this up. then you add one and a half two two cups of flour. this is the important flour, not to add too much flour at first. you add a little bit, bring it together. once it comes together and forms a dough like so, you're ready. >> a good consistency. >> a soft dough. you roll that dough into long

logs. i like mine a little bit smaller -- on the smaller side. people like smaller gnocci. >> fill it with different things, too, right? >> you could. that's harder. keep it simple. >> you cut it into little pieces. use a regular knife, if you don't have a pasta scraper. like that. that's basically it. >> the water is boiling. >> once the gnocci have risen to the top and floating like that, you're actually done. okay? >> you're argentinean. i didn't know you make gnocci every month on the 29th. >> the last day of the month for good fortune. we put money under the plate. you put money under the plate you're eating out of, and it represents good fortune and you eat the gnocci and keep the dollar. >> never knew that. good to know. >> i'm topping this with a little what i call toasted garlic or golden brown toasted garlic. >> beautiful. >> so this is one way.

this is a shaved summer vegetable salad. i thought i'd kind of lighten up gnocci as it can be heavy. look how beautiful this is, shaved radishes, suchlt uchini, yellow squash. hi, everybody. >> hi. >> here i have a little brown butter. it smells really nutty. >> running out of time. >> cherries, hazel nuts, sage, also a pea pesto. >> that's on our website, today.com, and our nbc latino website. >> kathie lee and hoda with howie mandel. >> first your local news and weather.

>> hi. howie mandel.

good morning, everybody. it's 9:56. flames broke out at a vacant building on bay shore alongside highway 101. eventually those flames spread

to at least three other building. a 61-year-old man was cuffed at the scene and is right now being questioned for his possible involvement in starting this fire. >> the main building that was burning was burning from top to bottom, which is unusual in itself, and i had some very -- some serious concerns about the fire extension across the street. >> this was a serious blaze. between 120 and 130 firefighters had to battle the fire. that is one-third of an apartment on-duty staff. right now, you might be preparing for that 4th of july barbecue. christina loren is here to tell us what kind of weather you can see. i like my burgers medium rare, jon. keep that in mind. mm-hmm. taking a live look at san francisco, a gorgeous day, just a gorgeous day shaping up. we could be socked in with fog. our temperatures could be soaring through the roof. but no, we are going to get very seasonal weather. today, patchy fog at the coast. that's about it. warmer conditions by 3 to 5 degrees today. for tomorrow, the 4th of july

when the forecast really matters at 9:00 p.m., temperatures look like they'll be comfortable and our skies will be clear. tomorrow, about 89 degrees inland. we'll level off for the upcoming weekend. here's mike, a guy who likes a hot dog. armour hot dogs or ballpark. plump when you cook 'em. san mateo, southbound 101 slowing a little to the 92 interchange. that's the last of it for the peninsula. a smooth drive across the bay bridge with no metering lights. slowdown on the east shore freeway to be expected. toll plaza shows you why, turned the lights off at 7:35. golden gate bridge, an easy drive. that toll plaza, everybody heading to the city. thank you very much. those dogs sound real good right now. check out nbc bay area on facebook. you can't always avoi. but you can always do something nice for your car. chevron with techron. care for your car.

captions paid for byn. nbc-universal television and a happy booze day tuesday to everybody out there, getting ready for the big celebration tomorrow. get out those candles. one day away. it is july 3rd, everybody. our nation is going to be 236 years old. that's just a few years more than frank and i combined. >> by the way, this booze day tuesday, this drink is lethal. i don't know what it is. >> they are so pretty and festive. >> it's called a sangrito. it's from the royalton in new york. oranges, mint, vodka. that's why i like it. blood orange liquer, peach

scnaaps and pomegranates. >> there are two friends in the audience. this is emily and julia. >> lauren. >> they are not really good friends. clearly just met them. >> they won an auction. >> for years frank and i have been supporting an organization called dana's research trust fund. our dear little friend dana is battling for her life right now with that. every year we do the gala. these young ladies, one of their moms bought at auction a ticket to our show today. thank your moms, whichever which one it was. the concept is -- i love the way a lot of people give to united way, all that stuff is good. when you find out there is one family in your neighborhood that is really hurting. you see the way a neighborhood comes together to be there for them.

it's about as good as human nature gets. >> sure. sure is. >> we're going to now tell you about how bad behavior gets. >> katie holmes is in the news. she stepped out. she had a little job yesterday. she had a guest appearance on "project runway." no one has seen her the past four days. she stepped out and the new york "post" is calling it "on guard." she's with a group of bodyguards. she looks happy. on her way to work. out with burly protection. some of the papers are reporting there are some scientology big wigs following her around, but no one confirmed that. >> i don't know if this was necessary. they have her husband in a spacecraft hovering around. i guess an editorial comment. >> really quick. this is a picture of katie holmes without her wedding ring in the car. >> hopefully mid blink. >> no one wants to be caught that way.

>> i'm interested why she didn't get one of those suvs with all the windows darkened out. >> what else is happening? >> so much in the world. >> oh, this is kind of -- well, it's not big news at all in new york city. but it may be bigger around the country than we think. anderson cooper made an announcement yesterday. he spoke out to the daily beast, a blogger. he told this friend of his he was gay. i guess there was entertainment weekly did a magazine. they were talking about gay celebrities. i guess he was one of those guys who decided it was time for him to say. >> it was not a secret at all to those of us who know him in here in the city. we've come to the place where i guess that's shocking to some people. it's almost like a -- >> it's a yawn. >> yeah, yeah, yeah. who knows why he felt this was the time. well, what did he say? it's become clear to me that by remaining silent on certain aspects of my personal life for so long, i have given some the mistaken impression that i'm trying to hide something,

something that makes me uncomfortable, ashamed or even afraid. this is distressing because it's not true. the fact s i'm gay, always have been, always will be, and i couldn't be any more happy with myself and proud. >> at one point because he was such a public journalist and going to a lot of war zones and afghanistan and different spots, i think he didn't want that to be an issue. number one, for a lot of reasons. number two, for safety. just in case, you know, when you're throughout if you are such a public face of journalism and that's what's known about you, there may be more trouble out there. >> he's a sweet guy. again, we wish everybody happiness. >> this is so weird. remember the olympic photo finish? we've been building it up, building it up. the two women who were in third. they were going to have a runoff yesterday. turns out there's not going to be a runoff after all. run of the runners, jeneba

tarmoh. they were supposed to compete. she said finally that she decided she was not going to compete. this is why. she said in my heart of hearts, i feel like i earned the spot on the 100 meter. >> she thought she had won. >> when she crossed the finish line, the judges apparently said she had won. she took a victory lap. she was at the medal ceremony with her medal talking about how great it was. only after that do the judges say, hold on a second. maybe you didn't win. so she thought she did. she's actually friends with the other girl. >> so she's letting the other girl go as the official third participant. she'll be in the relay event, but she's going to go as an alternate. >> the one who ends up going, her name is allyson felix. she said, quote, i wanted to earn my spot on the team. i didn't want it conceded to me. i get it. very confusing. >> i think we're missing part of the story. one thing we do know is michael phelps will go for seven medals instead of eight. he's pulling out of the 200

meter freestyle. >> when he was in the last olympics, he competed and won eight. it was a record and all that stuff. he was going to possibly match that this olympic games. his coach was saying, by going for eight a, you're going to hurt yourself. so he pulled out of one. he's not going to tie his record. >> i know a difference of four years makes in my life. i can't imagine what it's like to be the best in the world and have -- be four years older and competing against the younger, stronger guys. or not stronger but really strong. it's almost like with dara torres. she's 45. she came in fourth last night in the 50 meter. >> by a nano second. >> less than a tenth of a second behind jessica hardy. so she's not going to the olympics. she's competed so beautifully against women half her age. she's my heroine. >> it must be weird when you touch the wall and realize your professional career is over. that's her daughter. >> look at the shape this woman

is in. >> unbelievable. anyway, she's won a ton of medals. >> i wonder if she'll go and cheer her teammates on. >> i hope she does. she's such a cool girl. >> one of the most beautiful things was watching all the women in the audience in the past cheering her on like she was doing it for all of us. >> she was out there for all of us old people. made us feel good. all right. so here's something i know you guys might have run into at some point. you're having a dinner party, okay. you're inviting a couple dozen people or ten, doesn't matter. people have food restrictions. >> all it takes is one. >> i know. they have food restrictions. they're vegan, gluten free, don't like dairy. >> they're on weight watchers. >> so anyway -- >> stay home and eat your free prepared meal. >> there's a "new york times" article about how sick of it we are. i don't know if that's the angle. i'm just saying that. but people who are super picky and ruining your dinner party because -- what should you do as

a hostess? what do you think you should do? >> i think our job as a hostess is to invite someone to come. it's enough that you're going to actually go to all the trouble, all the expense to do a lovely meal for someone. i think it's the person on the receiving ends of an invitation who has the responsibility to call that hostess and say, listen, i just want you to know this is such and such and such. i don't want to be a burden. i know you're going to have your hands full, but would it be all right if i bring my own this. then let the hostess say, you know what, i'll prepare a piece of fish for you. but don't make it about you. because guess what? it's not about you, you selfish -- >> you know what i think you should do? >> unless you're going to die if you have a peanut. that's different. >> the peanut allergy, you say something. let them serve what they're serving. who cares? push it around, eat what you can eat. have a conversation. >> be gracious. >> drink wine. >> eat the noodles. >> just eat them. i think people are so crazy with their ordering.

i can't take it. it's ridiculous. they don't want this. they want this off. i don't want that. >> cass is a little like this. she does it so sweetly. i'm so sorry, but could i have my -- i don't want -- and can i have the dressing on the side. i could i have a little more hummus? >> well, that's different. >> anything she wants. >> you know what's funny? i had a friend who's like, sorry, i asked for no pepper on this. there's pepper. they took the thing back and brought it back. this is really not cooked the way i'd like it. back again. you know when there's guilt by association? even being with someone like that, you look like the bad one too. >> they look at you like, why are you with her? i know. >> anyway. >> it could be a guy. >> is it rude to turn down a host's food due to diet restrictions? >> we'd like to know what you're going to think. honestly, if there's some

enormous allergy or something dire that's going to happen to you, then of course. otherwise, just be gracious. maybe the last party you go to. >> that's weird. >> i don't mean because you're going to die. people are going to stop inviting you. >> all right. so here's a question. i like to wear perfume. you wear perfume. >> i do, but i don't like it when it's so overwhelming that you almost gag. especially if you're at a dinner party not eating the food. >> some government offices and hospitals are giving warnings about wearing perfume. they don't want too many fragrances, flowers that have too much fragrance because people have respiratory problems. >> hospitals don't want you sending some really fragrant flowers. people can have a problem with them. just put on complete human condoms all the way on. you know who would love that? howie mandel and donald trump.

>> look at a howie. >> i don't know how howie had children. i really don't. >> you don't know? >> well, i know how. i just don't know how howie did. the man, we're friends. we did a film together. i love the man. >> careful. he's listening. >> excuse me. i'm discussing you. you did stand back just a tad. i thought we were close. was i wearing too much perfume? >> no, but you're talking about how i had children and now you're talking about standing back from you. i didn't impregnate you, did i? >> not yet, but the day is young, baby. >> okay. wow. you're really a guest on this show when they invite you, aren't you? >> we're friendly. hoda and i are friendly girls. we'll see howie in a minute and the sparks will fly. >> we have to tell you about the facebook tent reaction. remember we told you about tents on the beach? people went crazy. whether or not you should have those big tents on the beach. diane said, why does someone need a tent on the beach?

rude, people, rude. tiffany said, why would anyone have a problem with this? how is this different from any cabana? i think it's a genius idea. >> cabana, they're in the back and not blocking everybody else's view. >> jennifer says a small cabana is one thing but an eight-person tent is overkill. >> with a giant tv screen. >> and what did natalie say? >> love the idea. some of us can't be in the sun too long but love the beach. go ahead and pitch a tent. how about just have your umbrella? move it with the sun. >> because some people -- >> who wants to carry all that stuff down to the beach anyway? >> how about people with wagons and all huge, you know, those huge -- it's a huge set up when you get down there. you're there all day. >> don't you love it when you're the only one on the beach? all the sudden somebody else shows up. it's fair. it's a public beach. but it's a beach and they plop two feet from you and start blaring their music. >> and smoke cigarettes. some people do that.

>> we seem like we despise everybody today. >> live from new york, it's "america's got talent." >> howie mandel is here to tell us about tonight's competition. love him. he's not so crazy about me. >> i love you. >> yeah, sure. >> i do.

if you've been keeping your eye on "america's got talent," you know you're looking at david garabaldi and cnyk.

he's one of the 48 incredible acts competing in the show. >> here is a recap of last night's performances and his predictions of tonight's live result show is comedian and "america's got talent" judge, howie mandel. >> and also great actor. we did a film together. it's called "spinning out of control." >> do i remember it? i remember it. >> i played a completely out of bonkers. >> it was in my hometown, it was in toronto. she was great. she gave me the part. >> i didn't give you the part. i wanted you for the part. the producers were gracious enough to give you the part. >> let's talk about "america's got talent." it's going live. >> they whittled it down before this, before we started last night. we were in vegas. whittled it down to the top 48. each week we have 12-48. last night we had the first 12. i think there were four clear -- this is a guy i love. >> oh, my gosh. >> i love him though. >> he's amazing. his story, his passion. he's homeless.

he deserves -- i mean, his life is about to change. it has changed forever. >> what is that skill? >> he's a dancer. he's got so much passion to dance. if you produce a show around him, there could be a vegas show. >> he's a dancer. >> he's a dancer and that's a style of dancing. it's unbelievable. it looks like there aren't any bones. i call him gumby. >> usually a singer wins this competition. >> because i think america gloms on it. it becomes more than a talent contest. it becomes a popularity contest. if you have a good personality, they end up voting for you. i hope this year it's not the same as in the past and they see the acts for what they are. there are some great acts, great variety acts. >> do you have a personal favorite yet? >> i have a couple personal favorites. i don't know who is going to win. there are a few amazing things like we've never seen before. a guy makes a whole instrument out of the theater. >> i love that guy. >> when you're there, it's like

the best concert you've ever been to. i don't know how it plays on television or how america will respond. >> that's a huge part of the whole thing, how it plays on tv. >> it's very different. i'm there each and every night. i go home and watch the tapes and it sounds different, it is different, but america has to respond. they have to vote. they get angry we don't send through who they like. i go, but you didn't vote. >> does it feel like howard stern is taking over the whole show? does it feel like that to you? >> i'm a huge fan of howard. i've been a fan over 20, 30 years. does it feel like that to you? >> a little. it feels like it's his show. >> you don't watch it. >> i'm home hanging from the chandelier around that time. >> i'm home pitching a tent. not at the beach. anyway, he is doing what he does and what they brought him to do. it doesn't feel different. it feels more exciting, more electric. i love being on this coast. i didn't think i would -- i didn't know how i would adjust to it.

people are so much more excited to see us and excited to be a part of this show. it's like a rock concert. it's huge. you should see it. we do a fabulous show. you would enjoy it. >> i'm sure i would. i've seen clips and i love them. >> is it tougher for the comedians since you're a comedian, is it tougher for them? >> i think comedy, and i'm not saying it because i do it -- >> it's the hardest thing in the world. >> it is very subjective. who is to say what funny is. you're not there because you think it's funny alone. there's always other people. hopefully it translates to wider audiences. >> people tell you if it's funny by laughing. >> we have been in a very tough -- very tough audience. you say that -- you want to say good-bye to me? it's hard for comedians -- i'm going to wrap it up quickly. i think we have better talent than we had. tune in at 9:00 to see us live. results, top four were obvious. they are going to win. in coming weeks we have bigger

and better talent. >> you're a great cheerleader for the show. >> i love it. >> i will watch it. >> we have to go. >> results at 8:00/7:00 central. >> i'm leaving now. i have to go now. don't go yet? >> wrap up. >> where are you going? >> i'm leaving. >> i love you.

if you're celebrating the

fourth shopping with only things made in america, bobbie thomas has fashions. >> there's a lot more fun ahead when sarah breaks out the city to claw her way into a lobster boat in maine. >> and madelyn puts us to the test with treats.

good morning to you. it is 10:26. i'm marla tellez. the state of the man of accused of beating a priest rests in the hand of the jury. prosecution and defense made their closing arguments monday in the trial of william lynch. lynch admitted he beat up father gerald lindner but claims he did

it because the priest molested him as a boy in the '70s. the d.a.'s office wants the jury to see it solely as an assault case. the defense's attorney say limpbl's abuse at father lindner is at the core of the case and should not be a ig vored.

welcome back. 10:28 now. this is what is left of the fog, and we had to take you to the top of san bruno mountain to find it, just hugging the coastline.

it won't last much longer. as we head throughout the day, we will continuously clear you out. patchy fog will be a thing of the past as of 11:30 today. warmer conditions by about 3 to 5 degrees from yesterday's highs, and then as we head through tomorrow, the 4th of july, our nation's birthday, looks like great viewing of all the fireworks. 79 in redwood city. tomorrow, warmest day of the week, 89 inland, 79 bayside. not quite as warm thursday. through the weekend, we level off. here's mike. the south bay has one accident causing slowing for northbound 280 at lawrence expressway. you're blocked. an earlier accident still in the roadway in the last 20 minutes. sounds like a jeep was involved in the accident and the door torn off. folks going wow, like in the movies. no one injured. that's better news. 880 past the coliseum, drive northbound. southbound, some gravel reported around downtown, marla. back to you. more local news on the nbc bay area news at 11:00.

jon kelley and i will see you in 30 minutes. we are back on this booze day tuesday with sara breaks out of the city. today she takes us up north to maine. >> to a tiny picturesque town where she tries her hand at something called bugging. >> it's better known as lobstering and in maine, it's the way life should be. with almost 105 million pounds of lobsters caught in the waters last year, the state of maine is the main source of the crustacean in the u.s. >> it's a very rocky water, generally very cold. pollution is pretty much nonexistent. the perfect habitat in the world for lobster. >> grant hubbard operates finestkind scenic tours giving tourist the first-hand view of

lobstering. is it a verb? >> we are going lobster fishering, lobstering, bugging. >> bugging? >> they look like bugs. >> these are my favorite delicacy. i've never eaten something i caught myself. he is putting me to work on the lobster boat the libby. these buoys represent each trap. each pull could bring an uninvited guest or a bounty of lobsters. >> that was too short. >> lobstermen measure each cash. the body shelling can only be 3 3/4 to 5 inches or must be thrown back to increase chances of reap deduction. i'm going from the eye socket with the front to the back, which looks like it's too small. >> lobsters with visible legs get a v-shaped mark and are tossed back in the water.

sustainability, this is just as important as reeling one in. >> by releasing all these beautiful egg-bearing female lobsters that are guaranteeing the future of the industry, they are seeds that will grow in seven years, become something we can catch. >> the keepers get their claws bound so nobody gets hurt in the process. i did it. each trap gets refilled with herring and cod fish, a smelly bait which attracts hungry lobs terse. on an average day, how many lobster do you bring back? i know it varies, but what is a good day? >> we can't tell you. >> you can't? >> no. it's not allowed. look at him smiling. >> wait. why not? >> it's a secret. >> is that like a normal thing you can't ask a lobsterman? >> it's like asking about someone's love life. >> is it that personal? you want to talk about how much we weigh? last year lobstermen earned a

combined $330 million from their hours on the water. i was ready to break for lunch. i set up the perfect cove lobster shack. the owner jason evans could give me a quick lesson before lunch. how many different ways can you prepare lobster? >> traditional is a boiled lobster, laziman lobster, lobster rolls, lobster wraps, double rolls, lobster blt, sauteed lobster, grilled lobster, lobster pie, lobster mac and cheese, that's about it. >> we went with boiled lobsters. preparing a feast worthy of friends. cheers. did i mention how much i love eating lobster? i guess i'm the only one still going here. >> we are rarely jealous, but we are today. >> that looks great. >> they don't give the license

to major corporations. it's all individuals. that's how they keep the economy booming. >> and keep it in the family business. great job, sara. also keeps that beautiful ambiance you have when you go up along the coast there. that's great. good work. >> all right. from fishing to fashion. bobbie thomas is here. >> we love her. >> with britney's mom. [ man on radio ] it's a scorcher out there folks... stay refreshed. hey boys, i have an idea. [ female announcer ] new lipton tea & honey. sweetened with honey, made from real tea leaves and real fruit flavors! mmm...that is so good. ♪ [ female announcer ] lipton tea & honey. real is refreshing. ♪ it's never felt so real ♪ no, it's never felt [ all ] ♪ so right [ female announcer ] new lipton tea & honey. lipton: drink positive!

"yoplait strawberry orange sunrise just made my day!" thanks tori! that is a great way to start the day. i also like lemon crème pie in the afternoon and red velvet cake at night. and...but then, ok that's just me. yoplait. it is so good. and...but then, ok that's just me. what if we could keep enough plastic waste to fill over 200 garbage trucks out of landfills each year? 6.5 million pounds of plastic, gone. by using glad trash bags, designed with reinforcing bands to be stronger with less plastic waste, we can. it's a small change that can make a big difference. and try glad odor shield with febreze freshness... strong bags that neutralize strong odors.

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we are back with our special series "made in america." today's tuesday trend takes a patriotic turn. >> here with her favorite americana finds is our "today" style editor bobbie thomas. >> i'm so excited. britney mom's kathie is here with us. britney is one of our favorite people here at the "today" show. at today.com we are kicking off a whole made in america week along with you. we are going to pick a contest winner, too. there are many dedicated designers like lynette lapore and jason laroux who make things here in the usa. this is a signature front twist dress. >> i've seen that on hoda. >> she manufacturers it here in new york. for independence it's $99 for

the sleeve and sleeveless version. >> does it have give in the fabric? >> it's so comfortable. >> it's not too thin. has a slip underneath. her bag which we'll show, and earrings, all made in america. >> beautiful. thank you. >> we love your daughter. >> then made in america, we love our blue jeans. one of my girlfriends designs one of the best fitting blue jeans here. made in america with love. habitual, j. brands. you can find anything. on the website i list where you can buy them. you can find any color, any wash, any size. >> and they fit. >> any fit for anyone. >> these are fun. >> i want to point something cool out. you can search for made in america on department store websites. nordstrom.

you type in the search "made in the usa" it will show you items made in the u.s. i'm wearing a dress from nordstrom that is $80, made in the usa. whoops, there is a slip on the side. macy's, bar 3, you want to see that it's made in the usa. most of the time lane bryant, that does it. you can make that extra step to search for made in the usa. >> it's possible. >> and it's easy. american designers are stylish. i love this website called keep america.com. they source all things from jewelry like this which is great to home goods. gorgiana, great accessories like handbags and leather bracelets and statement jewelry. beautiful stuff again. everything is listed online. shoes.

feel these inside. these are sandals made in california. >> oh, gosh. >> this is like walking on pillows, plus you get the heel. i swear by these. growing up in l.a. i loved this line sbicca. this is so great. ohka bee. these flats are adorable, with or without the embellishment. last but not least when i was showing off my underwear, this is one of my favorite lines, far west. they can extend the short dress. this is helping me get away with wearing this dress. they have the chemise in long or the skirt version. it is such a saving grace. everything is online. >> good job, bobbie. >> you can bfind more of our special made in america series. >> get ready for a food fight. we battle with madelyn's froze ebb treat trivia.

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it's time for madelyn's food fight. you may be screaming for ice cream, but if you're on a diet, it's off the menu. >> how bad is indulging in 2 a frozen treat every now and then. mad l madelyn fernstrom is here to test us. >> we are going to start with low-fat frozen yogurt. just plain low fat yogurt. does this serving, 1/2 cup more or less than 100 calories. >> it has more. >> 140 with nothing else. be careful when you dump that in your bowl. >> people assume they are saving all these calories, and they are not, right? >> that is true. beware especially with toppings.

banana split, how many miles to burn this off, six miles, nine miles, 12 miles? >> 9. >> hoda? >> i'm sorry. i'm going to go with 12. >> you're right. it has 1,200 calories. >> share it with a bunch of other people. check out some of these lower calorie favorites. one of them has more than 100 calories, skinny cow ice cream sandwich, weight watchers bar or italian ice? >> it's going to be the skinny cow. >> you are right. >> sometimes skinny in the title doesn't mean the lowest calories. >> but they are tasty. >> an oldie but goody. klondike bars. 250 calories in the original. how many calories does the no sugar added have, 130, 170 or

210? >> here you go. >> you got it. >> 130. >> no. >> 170 or 210? >> 170. >> it is 170. >> you save 80 calories. >> we are going to go around the world. sorbet, gelato and sherbert. one does not contain dairy products? which one is it? >> sherbert? >> you were close. >> sorbet then. >> the mango sorbet. >> the sorbet. that was a helper. >> she can have it. >> by the way, it's sherbet, not sherbert. >> and it's loseges, not

losenges. >> coconut milk ice cream. does this one cup serving have more or less than 15 grams of fat? coconut milk ice cream. >> more. >> more. >> right. it has 20. >> there is a tiebreaker. >> we have a product you might have heard of called tofutti. is this a fat-free ice cream, soy-based ice cream? >> soy. >> unbelievable. >> the winner is -- >> kathie lee. >> a landslide. >> what is it? >> it's a combination of aun dae, ice cream scoop. >> thank you, madelyn. >> after you rewarded yourself with ice cream, some family fun activities to start your

celebration. first, this is "today" on nbc.

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now on happy 4th of july "today" crafts and games that will have everybody having fun tomorrow. >> if you're looking for creative and inexpensive ways to show your patriotic experience, "family fun" magazine contributing editor is here with great ideas. >> "family fun" loves the fourth of july. it's a party for america. >> what is madeline up to? >> she is making a stately wreath. you can get all this stuff at the craft store. everything today is $5 to $10 or under. if you get a form, wire form and then you're using 70 pieces of

tu tuille. >> that isn't expensive. >> it isn't. make a knot and knot it all the way around. your finishing tough is this blue garland. it's nice to put on your door. >> or on your table. >> look at avery's crown. >> lady liberty. >> this is simple. no glue or anything. download the template from family fun mag.com. trace it on a piece of green craft foam and cut it out. this is a little head band. pull it through. >> very pretty. >> he has an explosive personal. this is a firecracker. same deal. using craft foam put pieces of red and white side by side and bind them together with a piece of blue tape. kids can individualize it with these stick-on stars. the firecracker part -- >> that hat rocks.

>> metallic pipe cleaners. all you have to do is wrap it around your child's head and put a paperclip. that's it. >> what does lilly have happening? >> would you demonstrate how to make noise at a party? as if you're in a parade. this is called a rabble rouser. this is two craft sticks. look how simple this is with rubber bands and little pieces of straws in between. you want to try? try it out. >> good girl, hodi. >> you can personalize these with little stars. >> that is fun. >> the party is starting, guys. >> what is michael doing at this end? >> michael is a still walker. you have two cans of tomato saws. puncture the sides of the can,

pour out the sauce. dry it, paint it and put ropes between it. you have stilts. you didn't take the top of the can off. we can walk on that. this makes a great game. you can do races in the backyard. >> have your band-aids available. >> is this a bowling game? >> this is the patriotic version of bowling. it is called rocket launch. here is your rocket. these rockets are made out of little children's socks. you use a funnel to fill them with 1/2 cup rice. tie them with ribbon and elastic bands. you get three tosses and see who can hit the cans down fastest. >> oh, wow! >> oh, no! you get three tries. >> let's see this again. >> go to the june/july issue of

"family fun" and get ideas. >> tomorrow, lisa kudrow will be with us. >> have a great day. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com