good news, no major damage. >> back at 7:25 with a live local news update. >> thanks for being with us. good morning. breaking news. good morning. breaking news. nbc's richard engle will have the latest in a live report. searching for a motive. new details on the 20-year-old suspect that opened fire with an assault rifle inside an elementary school near atlanta. parents across the country wonder how it happened again. we'll talk to a man that lost his son in newtown. airborne. a woman catches the moment a pickup truck crosses the median and goes across the highway. incredibly, that driver is expected to make a full recovery today, wednesday, august 21st,

2013. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with matt lauer and savannah guthrie. live from studio 1-a in rockefeller plaza. good morning everyone. welcome to today on a wednesday morning. i'm savannah guthrie. >> i am carl along with al roebgroebg and nationally morales. matt has the morning off. >> good to see you carl. we are going to start with syria this morning. pretty disturbing reports coming out of that country. richard engle is there. i know you have been talking to representatives from the rebel group there. what are you hearing about an alleged gas attack by the government? >> reporter: good morning, savannah. if this is confirmed it would be one of the worst atrocities of the war in syria. rebels tell us, there was a series of chemical weapons attack this morning starting around 2:00 a.m. at least 10 different towns and

villages to the east and north of damascus were hit by surface to surface rockets fired by the regime and they were tipped with chemical weapons. the death toll according to rebels we spoke to who are in the affected areas more than 1,000. they say that many of those killed were women and children. we have seen videos of lifeless bodies showing no apparent external injuries. according to witnesses in the area, many of the symptoms before death included shortness of breath, constricted pupils and foaming at the mouth. richard, this civil war has been going on for sometime, now recently the regime seemed to be regaining the upper hand but is there anything particular going on right now that might have precipitated this kind of alleged attack? >> these areas, and by the way, the syrian government strongly denies that it carried out these attacks, that it used any chemical weapons. these areas outside of damascus had been encircled by the regime.

they were considered important because the rebels were so close to damascus right on the edge of the syrian capital. but the timing about this is also very interesting because u.n. weapon's inspectors are in syria right now, in damascus. in fact, just a few miles away from where the alleged attacks took place. they are there with the specific mission to find out if chemical weapons are being used in this conflict and rebels we have been speaking to are inviting the weapon's inspectors to come to these areas. they say, however, it is difficult to access certain of these towns and villages because there is still gas in the air. >> richard engle reporting out of syria. we know you'll continue to follow it and keep us posted. thank you. back here at home, new information on the alarming incident at an elementary school in georgia. parents are asking how a 20-year-old suspect was able to get inside that elementary school building with an assault rifle. nbc's gabe gutierrez has the

story in decatur, georgia. good morning to you. >> reporter: savannah, good morning. this is not his first run-in with the law. in march he was arrested and charged with making a terroristic threat. this morning, 20-year-old michael brandon hill is behind bars. investigators spent the night trying to pin down his motive. looking for clues at the rental home he shared with this woman and her boyfriend. >> he is having a rough time so i just pray for him. >> reporter: tuesday afternoon in suburban atlanta, police say hill walked into the front office at ronald mcnair discovery learning academy with an ak-47 and at least one other weapon despite the school security system that required visitors to be buzzed in. >> we suspect he came in behind someone authorized to be there. >> reporter: the police chief says the suspect briefly held at least one employee captive and told her to call a local tv station. as officers approached, investigators say he quickly peeked through the front office door firing at least six shots.

police returned fire. by the time three sheriff's deputies and a u.s. marshall entered the building through a side door, the suspect had dropped to the ground and surrendered inside the office. no one was injured but it was a frightening ordeal for some students. some evacuated through a hole officials cut through a fence. >> we had to hold hands and they escorted us outside. >> near the school in a walmart parking lot. >> this is devastating. >> reporter: panicked parents waited three hours for their kids. >> i'm so happy. >> reporter: one by one, bus by bus, class by class. they were reunited. >> it was well worth the wait. as long as everybody was safe and everything, it was such a relief. >> reporter: relief that this time, all the children came home. today this school remains closed. instead, students will attend classes at the nearby high

school, savannah. gabe gutierrez in decatur, georgia. thank you. >> mark barden lost his son daniel in the sandy hook shooting last september. mr. barden, good morning to you. >> good morning. >> i think when we saw a headline like yesterday we say oh, no, not again. but for you, it must be so much more visceral and personal to think eight months after newtown you have someone walking into an elementary school with a gun. >> it is frighteningly similar and i just feel so deeply for those parents and those children that had to endure that horrific scenario and we're so thankful that everybody emerged okay from that. >> when you think of it, a man able to walk into a school with a gun. seeing those images once again of children running in terror out of the school, what's crosses your mind? is it fear? sorrow?

is it anger? >> for me, i feel i need to really keep going. there are so many -- so many issues that need to be addressed. this is an epidemic and it's a huge problem here in our culture and we need to address a lot of -- a lot of different items holistically. mental health issues. people need to have better access to mental healthcare. firearm safety issues. legislative community outreach. we just need to look at our society as a whole and evolve from this place. >> and you have been out there publicly in the midst of what anyone could understand is just crushing grief. do you think that anything has fundamentally changed? whether it's about resources devoted to mental health or whether it's gun legislation or do you worry that the moment of newtown has passed?

>> i don't. i continue to speak to people and people are still very touched and very aware of what happened in newtown. unfortunately, there are situations that continue to happen. so i think people are aware of this epidemic and we'll continue -- organizations like sandy hook promise, americans for responsible solutions, are doing great work in all of those areas of mental health and community outreach and firearm safety responsible legislation. >> well, no one can forget the image of your darling little boy and mr. barden, it's just an honor to have you with us and share your perspective on this this morning. thank you. thank you. it's a pleasure to be here. 7:08. here's carl. >> savannah, thanks. a man training to be an american airlines flight attendant is out of a job this morning and in trouble with the law. this after his name was discovered on the no fly list. nbc's tom costello covers aviation.

tom, good morning to you. hi, carl. american says it will review its hiring policies after finding this new employee was on the tsa no-fly list after being arrested for allegedly phoning in bomb threats to a competing carrier. he was in training to become an american flight attendant when he was arrested in may accused of phoning in 8 fake threats to united airlines. federal agents accuse him of phoning in the threats from pay phones near his home in southern california as well as phones from will have, new york and seattle. and new york beginning last october and through january. those calls forced united to evacuate planes and have those towed in for a close inspection. with a heavy police presence. the planes were headed to london, new york, las vegas, los angeles. in all, united lost a quarter million dollars because of the threats and now according to a plea deal that our affiliate in dallas kxas has obtained, he'll have to pay $250,000 and could

spend up to 2 years in prison. american said it had accepted him into the training unaware of his background. he was placed on the tsa no fly list after he had already begun training for american. he no longer works for american. >> tom costello in washington. thanks. >> natalie has new details on the massive fires out west. good morning everyone. almost 50 large wildfires are burning across the western united states this morning taxing firefighting resources and pushing spending past $1 billion for the year. miguel almaguer is in haley, idaho with the latest. miguel, good morning. >> reporter: good morning. fighting these fires is a 24-hour operation. the men and women on the front lines may not get a hot bed or a warm place to go and eat for two weeks. even though they lost 106,000 acres of land, thousands of homes have been saved.

deep inside the national forest, this is what the fire fight looks like. back breaking work contains the nation's most dangerous inferno. sean moore is a second generation fireman. the engine boss will spend two weeks facing the firestorm, about as much time as he spent at home this fire season with his 8-month-old son. >> my wife is sendg me photos and videos of him every night. different things he's starting to do that i'm not there for. >> idaho's beaver creek fire is massive. the size of denver. only one home has been destroyed but this morning, 1200 are threatened. the johnsons evacuated their dream home for a shelter six days ago. i think we'll be okay as long as mother nature cooperates. the firefighters are doing their job and i'm feeling optimistic. >> reporter: with fires burning faster and hotter than ever before, the drought out west is fueling 48 major wildfires. in california alone, 9 of 19 national forests are on fire. nationwide, 18,000 firefighters are on the front lines today. >> we can mitigate that hazard

by not having somebody in there. >> i agree. >> reporter: the fire fight out west tough on the frontlines and at home. overnight more resources arrived here. some 2500 tpraoeurz personnel on are scene. miguel, thank you. it is sentencing day for army private bradley manning. manning was convicted of leaking hundreds of thousands of classified documents to the secret sharing website known as wikileaks. it's been called the largest leak of classified documents in history. manning faces up to 90 years in prison. >> a spectacular crash caught on camera in michigan. take a look at this truck pulling a utility trailer crashes through a guardrail, hits an embankment and goes airborne.

this happened last friday near lansing, michigan. it went down the reconvene and landed in the creek below the interstate. the driver is expected to make a full recovery. very lucky. also lucky that nobody on the roads there at the time that that happened. >> yeah. >> amazing a woman just happened to be shooting outside of her window. she just happened to capture it. >> just happened to capture that moment. >> unbelievable. nice little breeze in the air. it still feels fall-like out here. >> it does. it will be warming up later today in the northeast and out west as well. first, did you look up in the sky last night? the blue moon. this is the third of four seasonal blue moons. it happens once in a blue moon. the last time was three years ago and the next time will be three years from now. this was over seattle. let's show you what we've got going on right now. very toasty. jet stream way up to the north, high pressure has been dominating so look at the heat we're talking about in parts of the west. the midwest, we're going to see temperatures in the mid 90s all the way into chicago at upper 80s and the warm weather makes it's way to the east with temperatures flirting with 90 degrees all along the i-95

corridor. boston today getting up to 88. we're going to get to your local forecast in just 30 seconds. good morning. i'm meteorologist christina loren. a look at your temperatures right now, upper 50s, low 60s, just about everywhere it's comfortable. we don't have as much humidity. we have a red flag warning for most of the bay area until 5:00 p.m. most winds onshore out of the west and the winds play a fashioner today. cool ocean breeze around the

inner bay. 74 fremont. 79 san jose. san jose state going back to school today. 90 livermore. next couple of days, temperatures steady. and that's your latest weather. >> al thanks. >> we have new information on vice president biden's son beau. this morning, he's being evaluated at the md anderson cancer center in houston. >> carl, good morning. we learned that beau biden was admitted to the hospital tuesday. he remains there this morning awaiting test results. his father, the vice president is also here in houston and has been by his side. beau biden looked in good spirits in the photo he tweeted smiling alongside his wife halle saying he was touched by the well wishes. promising to share an update when he had it. and this photo showing beau dining at a houston restaurant with his father vice president joe biden.

but nbc news confirmed that he is a patient of the md anderson cancer center. admitted for tests requiring an overnight stay. experts say it could be a biopsy. >> one needs to resort sometimes to a biopsy so we get the correct diagnosis and can get the best treatment. >> he suffered weakness and disorientation during a family vacation last week. of concern because of his history of neurological issues. he suffered a stroke three years ago at 41. >> please join me in welcoming my friend, my father, my hero, the next vice president of the united states, joe biden. >> reporter: biden gave an emotional speech introducing his father at the democratic national convention and is considered a rising star in the democratic party. before coming to houston he was reportedly seen at two other

major medical centers. and the vice president was scheduled to meet up with president obama later this week >> janet in houston for us, thank you. now to a dramatic scene that played out just across the scene from us at 30 rock. a cab crashed into a crowded sidewalk and severely injured a tourist. a woman that owes her life to a group of good samaritans including one you'll recognize dr. oz. kristen is at the scene of the accident and has the story. good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning. i'm around the corner from where you are. a street we all walk on every day. busy at any time of the day. the cab came up here barrelling on to the sidewalk and hit a cyclist and british tourist. she was here. her body ended up here and the cab ended up all the way here and it was her very first day here in new york.

>> reporter: it took only an instant to turn the crowded summer street corner into a gruesome scene. >> he either gunned it or meant to hit the brake and hit the accelerator, but that cab took off. there was at least one woman standing on the sidewalk that got smashed. diane green, a young british woman was thrown into the bushes. her leg severed below the knee. her friend standing beside her on the sidewalk left in complete shock as strangers rushed into help. >> it's something i'll carry with me for a long time. >> was running his pizza truck when he ran to help. a plumber jumped in with a homemade tourniquet. >> i got my belt and put it on held it, another girl grabbed a dog leash from a passerby. >> reporter: tv host dr. oz came out of his office across the street. >> it's a miracle at 49th and

6th, one of the most busiest places in the world, that there weren't more people hurt in this accident. >> reporter: thanks to everyday heroes, including one who helped take charge but took no credit. a nurse who happened to be passing by helped run rescue efforts. she was captured in a picture but never gave her name. >> she was directing us. telling me to get ice. telling me to get water. telling us what to do. somebody should find her and hug her. >> reporter: now, the investigation is still going on. no criminal charges have been filed yet. as for the victim, they were doing surgery to try to reattach her leg. it may have been her first day in new york guys but you can bet the whole town is now rooting for her. >> indeed. christien dahlgren, thank you so much. this is scary. and we have seen it where there's very close calls like this where you have the messenger and the cabby get at each other a little bit. >> sure. >> people who don't live here may not know this but the mayor is trying to make the city easier for pedestrians and

bicyclists. >> sure. >> we may see this -- >> i must admit i have gotten into a couple of altercations with cab drivers a little on the aggressive side. >> we wish her the best. absolutely. coming up, a disturbing story. the brazen murder of a promising baseball player in oklahoma. it's making headlines around the world today. we'll hear from the victim's girlfriend and father. >> and have you heard of cyber hitchhiking? why your teenagers may not be bugging you for a driver's license. but first, this is "today" on nbc. your teenagers may not be bugging you for a driver's license. but first, this is "today" on

okay. we love doing the show out here right now. puppies in the audience. >> that's good fiber. >> during the fourth hour today. for the first time about fatherhood. about fatherhood. >> after your local news. chronic plaque psoriasis to another new stylist.

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7:26 right now. we begin with breaking news this morning. i was just told that bradley manning, accused wikileaks leaker, is now the sentenced to 35 years in prison, literally that just coming into the newsroom. locally a suspected burglar in the hospital after shot by asecurity guard outside a senior apartment complex in almaden. it happened near the guadeloupe oak grove park on starwood place. a security guard was driving home from work and thought he saw someone break into his father's car. that's when the guard confronted the group of four suspects and opened fire. one suspect was hit and suffered nonlife threatening injuries. i teen shot and killed in east palo alto overthit. the 19-year-old slumped over in

the driver seat of a parked car with gunshot wounds. he later died at the hospital. officers are look for the gunmen. tense moments at san francisco city hall. police moved in to cler oar out dozen 0 protesters. 150 staged a sit-in demanding mayor lee step in and do something to save the college from being forced to close its doors next year. no one was hurt. this time, the forecast with meteorologist christina loren. >> good morning about you at home. it's nice and comfortable out there to kick off a wednesday. and, yeah, some kids heading back to school this wednesday. want to start with the live look of sunol. you can see plenty of low clouds inland. as a result, temperatures going to climb nicely by noon. 80 degrees in livermore. 65 at lunchtime in oakland. 73 in freeway. rounding out the day. 75 our highs come in 3:30, 4:00 this time of year. 79 in san jose.

comfortable conditions there. we stay mild, not as humid thursday into friday around the bay. let's check your drive with mike. over here, a live look 1010 north bound at gore point. we saw a tow truck leave pulling one car that has cleared the road a. slowing now. the map shows you slow through this area. big concern, capitol a crash approaching that scene. to the shoulder, 280 slows approaching downtown because of san jose state traffic likely. another local news update in a half hour.

i think the fans are just -- you know, the thing about them is they constantly surprise us. >> and the crowd goes wild. you are looking at the stphaeufplt and the crowd goes wild. you are looking at what erupted in london last night at the world premiere at the new movie, and we will have more on that in a moment. and don't forget, our plaza will be crowded with the fans on frid friday. >> we will need a bigger plaza. >> yeah, big ear plugs. >> they have been camping out since last week, and it will be fun. >> good morning, everybody.

i am savannah guthrie, and alongside carl and al roeker an nationally morales. and weather is cauhat is ca massive dying of the dolphins. coming up, the mystery that has scientists struggling to find the cause. a shocking crime in obg, the so-called thrill killing of a man from australia, leading the cause for australian tourists to boycott the u.s. randy has that story. >> reporter: here in duncan, residents remained shocks and bewildered.

it's now making headlines around the world. >> i'm so sorry. >> reporter: on a street corner in kuduncan, oklahoma marks the spot where her boyfriend was gunned down. a small town in shock, still trying to understand why an australia in the u.s. pursuing his passion in pwaebaseball was killed while jogging on tpraoeu. 17-year-old michael jones is charged as an accessory after the fact. >> we were bored, we had nothing to do and we decided we would kill somebody. >> i don't want to see no more. >> a chaotic scene as the three were arraigned, and family and friends trying to make sense of

the killing. >> it's just hard. i mean -- >> halfway appeared the world in australia, his grief-stricken family and friends went to the baseball field where he had played. speaking for the people of australia, the prosecutor said this is not duncan, oklahoma. >> this is not something that we see here, and i will do everything that i can do to insure that we see these three thugs pay for what they did. >> they are calling for a tourism boycott of the u.s. as an open protest to gun violence here in america, and police tell us this morning that the school has gotten off to a great start without incident. >> thank you so much for that.

we will shift gears and get a check of the weather from mr. roe roker. >> as you can see, temperatures are climbing up into the 90s and mid-80s, all throughout central california, idaho, and parts of oregon and washington state, and that has led to fire dangers and weather watches, and in fact where the massive wildfires are going on right now, the winds are still rather gusty and it's dry and we are looking for isolated good morning. wednesday, looking pretty good. we're going to see less humidity today and temperatures are going to be comfortable. 7:34. live look the golden gate bridge, clouds continue to drop as we head throughout the next couple of hours. expecting visible to drop off especially over the golden gate bridge and bay bridge into 7:30

and 8:30 time frame. 79 in san jose. next couple of days, temperatures level off. cooler for the weekend. and that's your latest weather. savannah? >> thank you, what is causing so many dolphins to die? craig melvin has the story. good morning to you. to you. this is a mystery plaguing scientists. hundreds of dolphins washed up on to beaches and sandbars up and down the eastern seaboard since july including several dolphins here in new jersey. scientists are feverishly trying to figure out what's killing them. a maritime mystery along the east coast. what is killing dozens of dolphins? according to a federal report, nearly 230 dolphins washed ashore this year from new york to virginia. that's more than twice as many

in all of last year and scientists aren't sure why. >> we came down earlier this week to help in the investigation. >> reporter: in virginia, veteran scientists from the smithsonian are collecting tissue samples to look for any common links. >> this event is frightfully similar to an event that occurred in 1987. >> reporter: back then more than 750 dolphins washed up along the east coast. it was determined that a virus similar to measles in humans was the cause. >> since the dolphins are mammals the same way we are, we have to really pay attention to what's going on with them. >> reporter: according to the marine mammal stranding system some could be dying of viral pneumonia. experts are relying on the public asking anyone who along the beach or boat who may see a dolphin acting strangely, circling in the same area or pacing within a short span to

report it. >> we rely on the public for the reporting of these dolphins. >> reporter: they say if a team can get to a sick dolphin before it beaches itself they can get a better idea of what's killing them so maybe they can save others. >> now, noaa is in the process of collecting data from these beach stranding teams in new jersey and new york and delaware, maryland, virginia as well. and they're trying to determine whether what's happening to the dolphins constitutes an inusual mortality event. that is an important distinction. if that's the case the federal agency is eligible for more money and more resources to help investigate. savannah. all right. craig melvin, thank you so much. hard to see those pictures. >> yeah. east coast and we love dolphins. still ahead, simon cowell is speaking out for the first time about becoming a father. >> and speaking of which, are your kids cyber hitchhiking?

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melissa is just four months shy of her 18th birthday yet she still does not have her driver's license. to get to the gym tuesday she grabbed a ride with her parents. >> it's hard having to rely on other people. >> but you do it. >> i do. it's hard. but for the most part it's okay. >> melissa is not alone. according to a recent university of michigan study in 1983, 69% of 17-year-olds had a driver's license but in 2010, that number dropped to 46%. used to be teenagers would hitchhike and they still do and still use their thumbs but now on social media. >> instagram, facebook, messaging, twitter, anything. >> that all works? >> yeah. >> reporter: it works so well, some kids no longer dream about getting a new car. instead, they dream about getting the latest smartphone. >> most of them would probably pick an iphone. that's our new vehicle for

connectivity. >> reporter: a teen with no car asks friends who wants to go to cider mill to get donuts. #i need a test. test. test. test. tagram they had an answer. >> he liked it and i texted him if he can give us a ride. >> reporter: for the next 28 minutes, more responses but not a single ride. after more than 40 minutes the two buddies gave up and decided to walk the five miles home.

>> reporter: but the story doesn't end there. after walking for about 5 minutes one of their friends looking on instagram, saw their message, circled around and picked them up and gave them a ride home. so it does work. parents should check their children's phones and social media to make sure their settings are on private. last thing you want is a stranger to show up and offer the teenagers a ride. >> that's a great story. kids still want the car. they want the control of driving. >> did you get your driver's license the day you turned 16. >> of course. >> did you? >> i got my driver's license when i was 18 but that's because i lived overseas. but this makes me nervous. it makes me really nervous. the good thing with this is to make sure that the privacy settings are set. that it's just your friends that are in the loop. >> i don't know. i think it's terrifying on multiple levels. anyway, coming up next, the preview of things to come on our

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may be more likely to misuse lyrica. with less pain, i'm feeling better with lyrica. ask your doctor if lyrica is right for your fibromyalgia pain. ask your doctor if lyrica is right here we honor the proud thaccomplishmentsss. of our students and alumni. people like, maria salazar, an executive director at american red cross. or garlin smith, video account director at yahoo. and for every garlin, thousands more are hired by hundreds of top companies. each expanding the influence of our proud university of phoenix network. that's right, university of phoenix. enroll now. we've got a frame waiting for you. we are just two days from one direction mania out here at rockefeller plaza and last night we got a preview as the world's most popular boy band premiered their debut movie.

here's michelle kosinski. >> reporter: standing room only crowd with braces, tears, hair and high pitched squeals camping for days. that is a toddler with a pacifier. that can only mean one thing. [ music playing ] >> reporter: one direction. >> they just changed my life. >> reporter: you're not going to cry on me are you? >> no. >> hang in there. hold it together girl. >> reporter: it seems few can in their presence. >> they're just really sweet and cute. >> yeah, they're so cute. >> reporter: yet these guys were unknown three years ago. >> i decided to put you through. >> reporter: put together for the competition show the x factor, they lost but simon cowell signed them and -- >> this is crazy. >> madness. >> ridiculous. >> reporter: selling tens of millions of records, sold out world tours. tens of millions of followers

known as directioners. >> if i tweeted i didn't like one direction would you come beat me up. >> not that type of fan. >> reporter: now a movie called this is us from the director of super size me. >> it's the closest thing in my time i've ever seen to beatle mania. >> reporter: these fab 5 performed at the olympics, graced gq, dated taylor swift and appeals to girls, and ladies around the world. >> niles or harry? >> none of them. >> what. >> reporter: one stop to massive fame. michelle kosinski, nbc news london. >> are you ready? >> i don't know. let me see. >> over here there's about 80 people camped out including a couple of infants across the street. >> you're kidding.

>> i think those puppies were here actually. >> number one. >> huge. >> speaking of big musical acts, nbc sports released a new promo for sunday night football and it includes familiar faces that could put one direction to shame ♪ ♪ sunday night football on nbc ♪ sunday night football on nbc ♪ al and chris are the best on tv ♪ ♪ the stars are out ♪ it's the game to see ♪ because the nfl rocks ♪ because the nfl rocks ♪ because the nfl rocks ♪ on nbc >> we killed it. that's the way we do every day after the show. >> we do this every day. >> we only needed one take. the director needed several with the different angles and the lighting. >> exactly.

>> practice, practice. >> matt. coming up, simon cowell speaks out about fatherhood. then, why more rest ranlts are doing away with tipping. >> and one-on-one with dolly par on the after your local news. what? customers didn't like it. so why do banks do it? hello? hello?! if your bank doesn't let you talk to a real person 24/7, you need an ally. hello? ally bank. your money needs an ally. eat tomato sauce on my spaghetti. the acidic levels in some foods can cause acid erosion. the enamel starts to wear down. and you can't grow your enamel back. i was quite surprised, as only few as four exposures a day what that can do to you. it's quite a lesson learned.

my dentist recommended that i use pronamel. because it helps to strengthen the enamel. he recommended that i use it every time i brush. you feel like there is something that you're doing to help safeguard against the acid erosion. and i believe it's doing a good job. to help safeguard against the acid erosion. la's congestion,itely ffor it's smog., but there are a lot of people that do ride the bus. and now that the busses are running on natural gas, they don't throw out as much pollution to the earth. so i feel good. i feel like i'm doing my part to help out the environment.

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good morning. 7:55. i'm laura garcia-cannon. a bill developed after the deadly limo fire on the san mateo the focus in sacramento. the bill will appear before the assembly appropriations committee. it would require safety inspections for all limos. right now, only limos reported to hold ten passengers or more undergo safety inspections. san jose taking a hard look at program aimed at getting rid of graffiti. an audit showed things are going well graffiti removed within 48 hours. but, some council members say the program is costing more than anticipated and they'd like to see the city hire more than one contractor so the prices stay competitive. check the forecast now with meteorologist christina loren. >> good morning. good morning to you at home. thick, low ceilings in san francisco, forcing flight delays at an hour right now. you can see from the live

picture of the golden gate bridge is mostly cloudy. clouds are going to keep us a touch cooler and less humidity in the forecast today. 75 fremont. getting into the all-important weekend, temperatures hit seasonal averages. let's check on your drive with mike inouye. >> finally seeing traffic start to reflect what we call the fall traffic flow. 280 northbound 17 and 880. slow here. on the map 280 slow off of 680. all the way. into downtown san jose. that's where the heavier flow is. expect the slowing pass 880 into cupertino. north 87 a good volume of traffic causing a slowdown to 85 and into downtown. palo alto, southbound 101 shows slowing. out of menlo park to willow and aapproaching university and slows into mountain view. >> all right. another local news update in a half hour. hope to see you then. have a great morning.

i waited 20 years to be on the "today" show. >> hi! ♪ >> how are you? >> thank you. thank you. >> hi, happy birthday, noah. >> we wake up with "today" every morning. >> our little friends on the pla plaza. lots of cutis on the plaza. the 21st of august, 2013. pretty day here. so happy to have some of our favorite people out here joining us this morning. al said it will get hot. up to 90. >> very close to 90 degrees.

from boston all the way -- >> summer is not over yet. savannah guthrie here with al roker. and we'll have more surprises for our plaza guests. you can get involved at home. here's what you do. why you love the "today" show -- >> so many reasons. >> then, just use the hash tag. >> also do you know how to strike a power pose? are you conscious of how you stand and sit at work? >> no, i'm working on it in yoga. >> when you're not laying down. there are ways to stand and sit at work to improve your success. >> looking forward to that. there's a new movement at some restaurants, they would raise the prices but say you don't have to tip. >> hmm. >> would you want to that go with that kind of policy? what about the service? >> what do the waiters and the waitresses of that? >> it's a hot debate. >> and she's a legend, dolly

parton. we'll have an exclusive interview. at 67 up, she is just getting warmed up and she has big announcement to make. >> i love dolly parton. let's get a check of the day's top stories. >> good morning, everyone. an armed man who opened fire at an elementary school here atlanta is in custody now. no one was injured on tuesday. nbc's gabe gutierrez has the latest on who the suspect is and how he got past security. >> reporter: natalie, good morning. by all accounts, 20-year-old michael brandon hill had a troubled past. he was arrested back in march and he was charged with making a terrorist threat. vf investigators are trying to pin down the motive for what happened here tuesday afternoon. hundreds of students rushed to safety after hill walked into the front office here at ronald mcnair discovery learning academy with an ak-47. they receives visitors and

requires visitors to be buzzed in, but hill snuck in behind someone who had access to the building and then hill fired six times. police returned fire. the suspect soon dropped to the ground and surrendered inside the office. remarkably, no one was hurt. but emotional parents were soon reunited with their children at a nearby walmart parking lot. this school remains closed today. students are attending classes a at nearby high school. >> thank you. we are learning more this morning about a flight attendant in training who was on the no fly list for making bomb threats. patrick call was fired by american airlines when they discovered he was on the list. he pleaded guilty to making calls eight different times in the past year. saying that bombs were on united airlines flights from los angeles to london. government surveillance may be broader than has been disclosed. a report in the "wall street journal" says the nsa is able to

cover 75% of all u.s. internet communications. the agency is interested in messages that either begin or end outside the country, but their capacity is so broad that solely domestic communications can be swept up in the net. today in maryland army private first class bradley manning was sentenced to 35 years in prison and was dishonorably discharged he had been convicted of leaking hundreds of thousands of classified documents in what has been called the largest such leak of secret files in history. >> a teacher who ordered her kindergartners to hit a fellow student has been sentenced to 30 days in jail and two years probation. cynthia ambrose wanted to teach a 6-year-old boy what it felt like to be bullied so she lined up the kids to slab him. the school district suspended ambrose in may of last year. the pitcher who beaned alex rodriguez has been fine and suspended.

the incident on national tv has been ruled intentional. red sox's ryan dempster will miss five games and pay an undisclosed fine and joe girardi will also pay for his actions. he complains that dempster's punishment isn't enough because the pitcher isn't likely to miss his start. the teens making all the great cool videos are back at it again. look at this 12-man operation. gotten over 6,000 hits. their first video has over 1 million hits. this trend has kids around the country taking bigger risks trying to top each other with their videos. all right, it's 8:05. right now let's go back to al. >> thanks so much. omg your sister is going to drive. who is your sister? uh-oh, you have your license? >> not yet. i take my permit test on friday. >> good luck. >> thank you >> let's check your weather. pick city of the day, just happens to be wichita falls, texas. sunny and hot.

98 degrees. nbc 3. showers and thunderstorms in miami. frontal system pushing through the upper midwest. going to bring cooler air there and makes its way into the east. but in the meantime we are looking at posted temperatures good morning to you. i'm meteor roll jie meteorologi loren. we are going to see a nice comfortable day around the inner bay, plenty of upper 70s your way, 77, for example in oakland a cool day at the, 64 degrees for san francisco, but if you want to hit the beach, 71 in santa cruz, feeling rather comfortable there 79 for san jose, san jose state returns back to school today. thursday into friday, temperatures start to level off. >> and that's your latest weather. >> thank you so much. when we come back, we want to hear simon cowell speak out for first time about becoming a father.

then are we seeing the end of tipping at your favorite restaurant? >> we'll get into that controversy. then look at where he is, with dolly. she's going to share some things with us. if yand you're talking toevere rheuyour rheumatologistike me, about trying or adding a biologic. this is humira, adalimumab. this is humira working to help relieve my pain. this is humira helping me through the twists and turns. this is humira helping to protect my joints

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oh yes. you do windows. the everyday collection. by target. back at 8:11 with what's trending today. trending from the new york city, the future is out of the movies. the u.s. government is making steady progress on a new surveillance system that could identify us by our faces. the technology would use video cameras like the ones you see there. it could scan crowds and could be used to search for terror suspects at a high profile event. cheats at a casino. you would scan the crowd as we did earlier near 30 rock and you could zoom in and see if you recognize them. if you take a look -- oh, there's someone. >> there's trouble right there. >> that guy cheats at the casino

every time. >> i was going out for croissants. >> i feel like i've seen him somewhere. i know that suit anywhere. >> the roker supremecy. >> privacy advocates are leerily about it. they want clear rules and limits. >> it reminds you of minority report where the eyes are picked up by the cameras. >> but if you're not on a list you're okay. >> nothing to worry about. >> trending on the wall street journal, are you striking the right pose? the popper posture can have a big impact on your mind and body and success. the way you carry yourself changes your hormones and behavior making you feel as though you have power. we decided to try a few poses ourselves. which are the true power poses? >> i'm going with b. >> i'm going with a.

>> because he knows he's in control. >> apparently a, expansively taking up a large swath of desktop like al likes to do conveys power and confidence. here's three more. there's two power photos in this one. >> i'm going with a. >> i'm going with c. >> very good. a and c. a broad surface conveys control. and expresses power and dominance. >> interesting. i thought maybe we could do a little yoga. >> yeah, the pose. >> yeah, the eagle. >> reminds me a little. >> that's kind of a twisted character. >> anyway, what are some of your favorite power poses? let us know on twitter using the #todaypowerpose. >> eagle pose. trending on twitter, simon cowell finally speaking out after weeks of speculation. the popular x factor judge is confirming reports that he is about to become a father. at last night's premiere of the

new one direction movie he told the bbc that things in his life are changing for the better. >> i'm proud to be a dad. >> how does that feel? why do you want to talk about it? what has it meant to you? >> well, you know, it's something i hadn't thought of before and then now i know i feel good about it. >> do you know if you're having a boy or a girl. >> i don't know. >> simon is expecting his first child with lauren silverman who reportedly just settled her divorce with simon's former friend. >> can you imagine having him as a dad. you come home from preschool, you know, it's a mess, your backpack is terrible. >> come on. >> i don't like the look. >> simon is excited to be a dad. >> good for him. trending on youtube, it's for you mommy. kids and cameras make for good tv. a news anchor learned that the hard way when her young daughter decided to make a cameo in the

middle of her newscast -- [ speaking foreign language ] >> the mom barely missed a beat. she just kept going. >> she is a total pro. >> i love that. >> the poor girl was trying to help. >> mommy's phone is ringing. >> she handled it well. >> if you brought your kids in to work here -- >> it's always -- >> it's a little stressful. >> yes, it's very stressful. >> but fun for us. >> yes, thank you. meantime, trending on google, it's been 12 long years but finally cher is pack with a venn gagean vengeance. they released the video of her new hit single woman's world. it shows the diva in all her glory. [ music playing ] >> what is that? a newspaper wig? >> newspaper, right? >> i think so. it's the new cher. >> we love cher. she is amazing.

i got to interview her earlier this summer. i told myself we're new best friends. we talked about why you're going to get to see even more of her. >> you have something exciting to announce about the "today" show. >> no, you announce it. i just heard it as i walked through the door. >> i'll tell you, you are getting up very early in september. >> yes. >> are you a morning person? >> no, we know that i'm not. i went into this business so i could work at night. >> the show starts at 7:00 a.m. >> i'll have to stay up all night long. >> do an all nighter. >> roll in in make up and not my pjs. >> she was wearing her pjs for the interview. >> you guys have a thing? a girl crush. >> i thought we were besties. >> it's a womance. >> she is just so cool. love her. she will be here september 23rd and we have been talking about one directions people lining up, i get tweets all the time that say we are coming to see cher

september 23rd. that is what is trending today. straight ahead in our 8:00 block, we'll take you inside denver's new floating hotel. but first on today's cover story, it's tipping at a tipping point. erica hill has more on that story. >> if you don't include the tips the hourly wage for waiters is at or below the federal minimum wage. now high profile restaurants decided to pay their wait staff full time salaries, in some cases even benefits, telling their customers to skip the tip. >> $2, that's all you're going to leave? >> it's 15%. >> that's 13%. these people depend on tips for a living. >> reporter: some people aren't big tippers. >> you don't leave a tip? >> i don't tip because society says i have to. >> reporter: others don't tip at all. >> is an 18% tip included and then a space for an additional tip. >> reporter: and plenty more struggle with the appropriate amount. 15, 20%?

more? at some high end restaurants you no long ver to break out the calculator. places where it's clear gratuity is not accepted. the no-tip policy is also standard in berkeley and the famed french laundry. instead they're figured into the menu prices which can support full time salaries for the wait staff. it's the way many european restaurant versus done it for years that's why these tourists were surprised to learn about the tipping custom at american restaurants like the 101 coffee shop in hollywood. >> it's shocking. we don't tip at all. >> reporter: for carrie, tips are her livelihood. >> people don't realize we make minimum wage. >> reporter: one advocate group is pushing for all restaurants to pay higher wages for their wait staff.

>> people that put food on our tables can't afford to eat themselves. >> reporter: each restaurant has to decide what's best for it's business and tipping is part of what makes food service such an attractive industry. and it turns out, not every customer is ready to stop tipping. >> we left 25, almost 30%. she was great. >> now as far as the service you get from a waiter on a salary versus a waiter working for a tip a recent study by cornell university shows tipping isn't as much of an incentive for good service as much would believe. thank you so much. she is the owner of two restaurants including here in new york city. good morning to you. >> good morning. >> we did a poll on this. when we asked our viewers should american restaurants abollish tipping 58% said yes and 42% said no. did that surprise you? >> it did. >> some people think if you don't have the incentive of a

tip, watch out, the service will drop off. >> yeah. >> you agree? >> this has many faces and it depends on the part of the city and the restaurant but i do agree. this is a culture where we are known for our service and incentivized by this form of service. i grew up spending my summers in europe where it's based on this type of policy where they're working on. the service is not as good as in america. >> some people would love the idea of having to put the calculator away because they tonight want to do the math but it should be remembered that servers are making far less than minimum wage. tips is where they get their money. would they want to see tipping go away. >> i did an unofficial poll last night in my restaurant and the overall reaction is they wouldn't want to see tips going away. a lot of them are in it for the hunt and i think that it is definitely a part of our culture and they are -- they would not want -- they would not want it. but that being said, higher end

restaurants and there is a movement and it's justified in higher end restaurants where they're more professionals and they want stability in this very unstable economy. >> let's go out to al on the plaza with fans. what do people say about this? >> we have chris from new york and patti from detriot. what's your opinion? >> get rid of tipping and pay waiters and waitresses a living wage. they are happier and better service and i don't have to use the math. >> you disagree. >> i do. i think we're motivated by money and the more money they can make the better service they'll give us. >> patti brought props too. props to you patti. >> there you go. two opinions. >> al tried to take that as a tip for good service there. do you think that restaurants would want to go in this direction and wouldn't this be another way for them to raise prices? and how would you know what was going to tip and what wasn't really a premium on the food. >> yes. i think it's very complicated

because i like i said this is so engrained in our culture. when europeans come here they don't tip because it's engrained in their culture not to tip. that's why my servers say there's europeans here can we add a tip and i have to tell them, no, we can't. it's a very complicated issue. there's no easy answers but it's a trend and it will work in certain places but i don't think it's going to happen here any time soon overall. >> it's a good debate to have today over dinner. >> over dinner at donatella. >> let's send it to carl. >> denver is one of the finest cities in america, great to visit, but how much would you pay for a one night stay there? we go inside a very unique place with a very large price tag. >> reporter: imagine spending $50,000 for a night in a hotel. >> $50,000 a night would turn me off. $50 a night, i'm entertained.

>> reporter: in denver, that's the price tag for an inflatable hotel room 20 feet in the air over a parking lot. enough to buy a new mercedes benz, a year of college tuition or groceries for the average family. >> i wouldn't pay $50,000 for that. >> it's called the hotel rehearsal. a pronlt for a local arts festival. >> it's significant. it's inflated to you see air compressors and eating and cooling. there's a full working bathroom, a sofa and a bed. >> a working bathroom with a working shower. >> i'm 6'2" and i fit in here comfortably. bathroom is a little bit small but the shower i would gladly take, especially 20 something feet above the ground. >> reporter: the 5 by 7 hotel room is small but the large price tag is also a donation to the arts. >> it's a once in a lifetime opportunity that we're trying to promote here.

it's not every day you can spend a night in a hotel room like this. you are supporting the arts. you are able to spend a night in this incredibly school structure. >> reporter: with a clear plastic roof the room comes with an amazing roof. it also includes tiffany earrings and party for your friends and i pods. >> would you pay $50,000 for that. >> it comes with tiffany earrings. >> it does? >> yeah. >> no. >> reporter: the project is the brain child of the architect that wants people to think. >> architecture can be mobile, that goes up and down and vertically. architecture is performed as well as built. it's a parking lot until you use it as a hotel and if you use it as a hotel enough times then that's a hotel. >> reporter: for $50,000, art is truly in the eye of the beholder. for today, nbc news, los angeles. >> by the way, the hotel rehearsal will be in place until september 2nd.

would you go? >> sure, why not. >> for 50 gs. >> just a little part of the story. $50,000. >> well, then no. i would like to change my answer. >> stricken from the record. willie's exclusive interview with country legend dolly parton and she has a big announcement. but first, your local news.

good morning tour 8:26 now, i'm laura garcia-cannon. menlo park put off a decision whether to increase the number of red light cameras in the city the council was supposed to vote on a plan to add the fifth camera last night but after hours of debate, the decision was put off until tuesday. in the past five months, other bay area cities, including redwood city, belmont and haywood have opted out of the red light camera contract, saying they did not vastly improve safety. let's see how safe the roads are now. any accidents to report, mike? >> a lot of activity, yes there are crashes. let next plain which is affecting your drive, north 880 no crashes affecting the drive, all the cars from the coliseum up into downtown. let's look at the map, 880 is jammed into downtown that volume

really built in over the last few minutes. also, west 580, you see the slowing from the same area past high street and into the area approaching 24 and 980. the crashes you see there, there in the roadway, countercommute, not affecting your direction, watch east 580, highway 13 especially, one of the lanes there a slower drive south 80, hayward, fremont, mission, continuing to the south bay. northbound routes, you don't really see any green in the routes through san jose. and there your orange and yellow. back to you. >> thank you very much. another update in half an hour. we will see you then.

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8:30 now on this wednesday morning. it's the 21st of august, 2013. and we are at the midpoint of what we like to call fan appreciation week around here at rockefeller plaza as we count down to the ultimate climax, the extravaganza known as one direction. friday morning. >> really. >> yeah. >> actually, no. >> his preteen is ready to burst

forgot. >> it is. well, you'll have the opportunity friday. carl quintanilla is in for matt and al roker and natalie morales. >> what's behind the curtain? are you ready to drop the curtain? >> yeah. here we go. drop it in 3, 2, 1. >> 1. >> apparently guys we have a snack attack. >> oh my gosh. >> we can use one of these right now. >> that's right. our interns are serving up everything from pretzels, pass to, beverages, snack bars and cliff bars. if we use your tweet on the air, you will get this as well. just use the #todayheartsfans and tell us why you love today. >> and if you do, we're going to send you that pretzel. >> that's right. >> in the meantime, coming up, willie has got a great story. he goes one-on-one with the one and only dolly parton at

dollywood. >> she's another one. we love her. absolutely. we'll get fashion advice from a true new york institution. an 85-year-old personal shopper who shares her style secrets with everyone from the casual shopper like myself to stars like meryl streep and cher even. >> she looks unbelievable but her personality is the best. >> do you have a hard time cashing in your frequent flyer miles? so many rules and regulations. she'll show you other ways to use your points and score top products as well. but first of all, let's get a check of the weather, al. >> all right. first of all, for today, more wet weather through the southeast and mid-atlantic states. a slight risk of strong storms in the upper mississippi river valley. tomorrow, we're looking at more wet weather moving into the northeast, mid-atlantic states, the upper ohio river valley. western half of the country sunny and hot. the heat extends down near the

gulf. down good wednesday morning to you. i'm meteorologist christina loren. temperatures are pretty comfortable out there right now. we are in the upper 50s, low 60s, live look at san jose shows you we still have clouds overhead. that natural ac moving all the way inland this morning, means a cooler afternoon. as a result, 70 degrees. today, in san francisco, a little bit cooler than average and temperatures are going to continue to drop off as we head through the nix couple of days. 87 degrees by thursday. up to 91 degrees on friday. don't forget. get that weather any time you need it. go to the weather channel on cable or weather.com online. in the world of country music it does not get much bigger than dolly parton. she is a legendary singer and song writer and actress and entrepreneur. she shared big news with willie

geist in an exclusive interview. >> reporter: it may feel like dolly parton has always been a living legend but she once was a self-described dirt poor little girl here in tennessee. >> i came in here on dolly parton parkway and we're sitting outside a giant theme park that bears your name. what would that little girl in the cabin think about you right now. >> she would be overwhelmed but excited. because i always dreamed big. i was always telling momma some big something. she would say you and your dreams. i wanted to get out and see the world and know what was beyond these hills. >> reporter: dolly didn't waste any time beginning her climb. >> you sang at the grand old opry by the time you were 13 years old. it was pretty clear you were destined for big things. but do you remember when you said i think i made it. >> i don't think i reached that point now. >> come on, there's a theme park

with your name on it. >> there is. but they're steps, though, because i'm always dreaming of bigger and better things. >> reporter: an icon and ground breaker many times over from the studio to the stage and the big screen. she is the most honored female country performer of all time. she sold more than 100 million records worldwide. >> if you had to pick one song to sing from the dolly parton catalog which would it be? >> that's a tricky question. but my personal favorite song is the coat of many colors. it's a true story. it always makes you think of momma and daddy and appreciate them. it's what family stands for. >> reporter: her family and her roots are always front and center. that's why he built dollywood, back home, in tennessee's smoky mountains. >> did anybody tell you were crazy when you said you were going to start a theme park.

>> yeah, a lot of my business people, my lawyers and accountants said this is not a good thing for you to do. i said well i'm going to do it anyway because i know that it's the right thing to do. >> reporter: they should have known better than to doubt dolly. >> hey there. >> reporter: opening in 1986, her park became just her latest hit. >> my name is jolene. >> really? good to see you. >> reporter: in dolly's kingdom, as you might imagine, she is royalty. >> i'm like a cinderella to them. an overexaggerated doll. >> do you still get a big thrill from a crowd dolly? here or on stage. >> i do. >> reporter: amidst the glitz, a reminder of where she has come. a replica of the home where she grew up just a stones throw from the park. >> why is it important to put it here? >> the center of things. the heart of the matter so to

speak. >> reporter: now her dream will get bigger. >> we just made a $300 million commitment, which is more money than we spent, but part of that is we're going to start a new resort which is also a dream of mine from the time i started the spark. >> reporter: in that expansion thousands of jobs will be created. she'll unveil a new family roller coaster and in 2015 a brand new resort hotel. >> it has a southern flair but very classy. >> reporter: dolly parton is full speed ahead and popular as ever and she shows no signs of slowing down. >> i'm 67 now. i feel like i'm just starting. i really do. i feel like i've had a chance to really get to be part of and enjoy this. not something that was left behind. i'm still trying to grow and come up with new dreams every day and make them come true.

>> what a great spot. we just happen to have willie with us now on vacation but on the phone. willie, watching you two walk arm in arm, did you have a good time in dollywood. >> yes, i'm with dolly in puerto rico. we're still strolling arm in arm. >> nice. >> she is one of the most magnetic, charismatic, charming human beings that i've ever met in my life. it was such a thrill to be around her. you see the crowd, you saw it in the spees, there's 10-year-old girls named jolene who are screaming fans of hers, the way they scream for one directions and adults that grew up on her music. she spans now three generations and they just love her down there. >> well, you two seem to click. i liked it when she said she didn't feel like she made it yet and you said come on dolly. >> there's an amusement park with your name on it. >> yeah, i think when you have a

theme park named for you, you have officially made it, it's safe to say. >> sounds like you should go on the road, dolly and willie. >> there you go. >> you know what, don't twist my arm on that one. she was awesome. >> willie, how's that pin pina coloda. >> as you know, i'm here on assignment. investigative piece on the effects of umbrella drinks. >> you're on the beach on a cell phone. >> he's on a sailboat called assignment. >> willie, great stuff. enjoy your vacation. >> thanks guys. great to talk to you. see you in a few days. >> we miss you. coming up next, natalie has a great story catching up with an 85-year-old who dressed some of the most fashionable women in new york. but first, this is "today" on nbc. good morning! wow.

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walk up 5th avenue that we watch from our studio and you'll find the legendary department store. it's inside that legendary department store that there's a legendary presence that natalie caught up with. >> her name is betty holbright and made a career as a personal shopper, choosing the right clothes for many women that seek out the very best in fashion. bergdorf goodman on new york's 5th avenue. patrons don't flinch at the prices and where on the third floor, the store's legendary personal shopper betty halbreich is on call. >> my job is taking care of people. i have been called a clothes therapist. >> reporter: part psycho analyst, part confidant, but total fashionista. she walks the stores six floors, rumbling as she calls it,

through the racks to see what catches her eye. >> what is it about style, though? a woman can pick a beautiful piece of clothing and put it on, if she is not wearing it well, how do you tell? >> that's the one thing i do pride myself on is knowing what size you are the minute you walk in. it's like a man sizing up a beautiful woman. it's very similar. >> reporter: betty's advice earned her trust from a long list of clients, meryl streep, cher and sarah jessica parker. she is a woman who does not read fashion magazines or have a favorite designer. a woman who has never worn jeans and believes classics still work best. >> i believe in longevity in dressing. i like to treat clothes like paintings sometimes. as they grow older sometimes they grow better. my dress is 20 years old today.

>> it's a classic. >> i don't know if it's a classic but it was black and white and i dug it up and i said do you have the nerve to wear this betty? okay. >> reporter: born with fashion in her blood, betty's father ran department stores in chicago with a trend setting mother, young betty developed a disce discerning eye. >> i would never wear what everybody else wore in school. i turned my sweaters backwards. i walked a different line. >> reporter: by 20, married, her dreams of being a painter were sidelined. by 49 with her two children grown and her marriage over, betty needed a job. her first one ever was at bergdorf goodman. >> i realized i could be something to people, to myself and it saved my life. >> reporter: today despite her in demand status she doesn't work on commission and there's no time limit or minimum sale

for her expertise. >> she is wonderful for you. >> reporter: what does it take to become a client of yours? >> nothing at all. there isn't anyone i ever turned town. why should i. >> reporter: for the person that can't afford those prices, what's your best fashion advice? >> it's taste, isn't it? you can go into a h&m, i think it's incredible. those people are good shoppers. >> i love shopping. >> reporter: with that it was my turn for a fashion make over. >> that's beautiful. >> pretty. >> reporter: back in betty's office she told us she is penning her memories, writing her tales of seeing fashion seasons come and go. >> i think i'm more satisfied at 85 1/2 than at 45 1/2. >> as you can see she is such a character. she has a great story to tell. she is writing her memories and teaming up with lena dunham from the hit show girls and is

creating a documentary called scatter my ashes at bergdorfs. >> you're like what am going to wear. >> i was. i was nervous i wouldn't pass the test. >> she looks like she isn't close to slowing down. >> no, at 85 she is sharper than a tack. >> i love how she personalized the clothes. this is perfect for you. >> she does. >> we think you guys are naturally beautiful. coming up next, the most frequent flyer miles can be piling up but hard to cash in. we'll have the story on that. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

back now at 8:48 with today's travel, this morning,

frequent flyer miles are getting tougher to cash in. what can you do with our points? she is the national business correspondence for usa today. good morning to you. >> good morning. >> these programs have been around for 30 years but every time i go on it looks like the rules are more and more complicated. is it really happening? >> everybody feels that way. frequent flyer programs are one of the most popular perks the airlines have. they have hundreds of millions of members. they're not going to get aside that many seats for all the travellers accommodated so it's harder to book an award >> t so, the people -- i would love to meet some of the people involved in writing these rules because they are so complicated. >> right. >> as you're working your way through all the policies in general. >> right. >> what are the top things you try to keep in mind? >> it's going to take a few miles to get used to. it might cost you more like 40,000 to 60,000 miles. europe is 60,000 miles. to go to another continent, it's

even more. miles and points do expire. it's easy to keep your account current. subscribe to a magazine. that should be enough. there are lots of other fun things you can do with your miles and points. >> that's something we're going to talk about now. if you would rather not use the points for a trip, you can choose a retail gift. there's a lot to go through. let's start with united. 90 million members. what do they have? >> one of the cool things is for 100 to 150 miles you can download a song to your ipod or mp3 player you can accumulate that from new york to d.c., san francisco to l.a. >> that's nothing. >> you can easily get that. if you have a few more, they have cool one of a kind experiences. one person was able to bid on meeting rod stewart in the flesh in las vegas. going to see his concert at caesars palace. starting bid was 50,000 miles.

you can meet this legendary rock star you might have grown up listen to go. >> i guess these are not real tickets. >> no, unform. >> american airlines? >> they have used a combination of miles to get a hotel room or car rental. so, for example, for 1,000 miles and about $200 you can get a room at the hyatt regency in newport beach. you get to stay at this world class hotel change, surf, sand, seafood. it cost you nothing. if you have a few more miles to play with you can go to london, a five-star property, mayfair. if you want to say hello to the royal baby, see big ben. >> probably something you wouldn't book ordinarily on your own. >> delta, they have a year-round online auction. >> delta has so many things you can choose from.

for example, for 10,000 miles you can get a pair of baseball tickets to see your favorite teams play. my hometown team, the san francisco giants or the atlanta braves. we're not talking about the bleachers eating popcorn, though that's a lot of fun too. these are the vip seats, sitting in the vip seats, gourmet food, vip parking. they have a lot of cool merchandise you can buy. g.e. wine center holds 57 bottles of wine. if you're a connoisseur, you can get this. about 240,000 miles. it's the person with so many miles they can't spend them all on travel. >> you can donate some of your miles for a good cause. >> use your points to help somebody else. they will donate $10 for the charity of your choice. hunger relief or united way. so use your points to help somebody else. >> is it tough as a reporter keeping all these rules in

place. >> my mind is always spinning. believe me. >> they don't make it easy. >> they don't. >> thank you so much. >> thank you. speaking of the airlines, last minute getaways for your family. but first this is "today" on nbc. ♪

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hit. >> big hit. i heard people screaming for the snacks. >> one direction. >> talk about screaming. the screaming will be on. we look forward to that. meantime, coming up, the company that gave its workers the entire summer off with pay to pursue their passions. i love that idea. >> great story. we'll learn more about that. we'll hear from it after your local news. your local news.

it is 8:56 now, good morning, i'm marla tellez. weather permitting, the louis vuitton cup finals will resume on the san francisco bay this afternoon. luna rosa and emirates team new zealand are slated to take part in two races today. you can watch those races right here on nbc bay area. that starts at 1:00 this afternoon. see if the weather will permit with meteorologist christina loren. good morning. good morning to you, marla.

yeah, a nice day today on the san francisco bay. temperatures are going to be comfortable. 59 degrees in san francisco right now. we are looking towards a high right around 64 degrees there, we will hit about 90 degrees inland, places like livermore, the next couple of days that humidity really starts to drop off, feeling comfortable this weekend, upper 80s headed our way.

>> announcer: from nbc news, this is today's take with al roker, natalie morales, and willie geist. live from studio 1-a in rockefeller plaza. welcome to today on a wednesday morning. august 21st, 2013. i'm al roker along with natalie morales and america' got talent judge mel b. who is in for willie g. >> i am, aren't i? >> you are. >> you had a late night last night. >> i did. >> what a performance. >> it was great last night. they finished it off with catapult and how creative and inventive is that act? seriously. >> the person that created or put the group together is from

connectic connecticut. it's an honor and tribute to the vicks of newtown. >> it was emotional. >> we have a clip of that. >> let's take a look. everything about it was so lovely. the whole life story. i loved it. >> it's cool. >> it took my breath away. >> see i would want to go and see that show with my whole entire family. >> a great song. >> how do you know that? >> it's on the prompter. >> i was like you're good, al. >> it's so different. obviously you don't really see that kind of act. so i think that in las vegas would be an act. >> i think it would be a hit. >> beautiful. >> by the way, agt on tonight again at 8:00 eastern and then -- well, you mentioned it

here on the show on monday i believe, but one direction is coming. [ screaming ] >> wow. >> are your kids going to go? >> yes. they have to. absolutely. >> they're here friday right. >> they're here friday. >> it's going to be chaos here. >> we'll be warming them up for you guys. >> how was your birthday last night. >> a great time. thank you for asking. deborah and the kids, all three kids, we went to yankee stadium and had a great meal at the legends restaurant there and watched the terrific game that went all the way to the bottom of the 10th inning. >> and the yankees one. >> so you had a good birthday. >> got great bike gifts. >> what are bike gifts. >> stuff for my bicycle. >> you ride? >> he's a big cyclist. >> i'm not a big cyclist but i ride. >> he commutes into work. >> hey now. >> he likes those --

>> agt is on at 9:00 tonight. >> 9:00 tonight. >> come on camera. come over here. adam is -- >> he makes sure that we know what we're talking about. >> to 9:00 tonight you'll do it. >> hey. >> thank you. we'll explain the oreos in a minute by the way. simon cowell talking about becoming a father. >> right it was red carpet time for the group he put together, one direction, on the x factor back in 2010. as you know, he has been linked with this socialite pregnant with his child. >> what do you think about that? >> it's a con have yvoluted sto. his friend. >> but they apparently resolved and settled the divorce so now they feel they can turn a new

page. simon talked about it at the premiere last night. >> i'm proud to be a dad. >> how does that feel? why do you want to talk about -- what has it meant to you? >> well, you know, it's something i hadn't thought of before and now i know i feel good about it. she's a very special girl. >> do you know if you're having a by or a girl. >> you know him. >> do you think it will change him. >> he's a bit nuts. >> nuts. >> i think he's going to be very happy to be a dad. >> do you think it will help ground him a little bit? >> there's no grounding simon cowell. >> he's nuts. >> yeah, he is. >> he's going to be grooming his baby for the next boy band. >> the whole way. >> or girl band. >> your nickers are a mess. >> the hair. >> your backpack is just terrible and i don't like your outfit. now go back up stairs and get

dressed and come back down. >> he'll be a good dad. >> he probably will. >> it's been a big story around here but apparently it made news overseas as well. there's a couple in brooklyn that stirred up a debate of their renovation of their brown stone. >> the shower story, yes. >> they have what looked like from the exterior a transparent shower, although, this is a home under renovation and they say they're going to put privacy blinds on there of course. but as neighbors do, the tongue started wagging, nosey neighbors in small neighborhoods. >> i want to watch. i want to see. >> do you want to see? >> this is not the standard hotel. >> sure you want to see, al, come on. >> let's see what they look like first. >> well, that too. >> if the guy looks like me, do you really want to -- >> i want to see. >> do you really want to watch? i don't think so.

you're hoping that the steam comes up really quickly. you don't want to see that. >> i am the ultimate nosey neighbor. i want to know what's going on all around me. >> do you have a telescope? >> i'm not that bad. >> well, here's the thing, i mean, they go ahead and do this, instead of like maybe talking to the people they post it on websites, the blogs. >> they did? >> the neighbors did. >> the neighbors did. >> and now it's all over the place. why wouldn't they go talk to the folks. >> i agree actually. >> here's how the homeowners are responding. they actually put a huge sign that they then posted so now that's all over the papers this morning as well and it reads dear neighbors we are still under construction. we regret that our design has alarmed you. it has always been our plan to put up privacy coverings on our shower which we anticipate will be installed. we are displayed and a bit heart sick at the attention our

half-finished house has created. >> they love it. >> we look forward to a day when we know our neighbors well enough to discuss any concerns over coffee and not in newspapers and not on gossip sites on the internet. >> they know what they're doing. to post that in reply they know what they're doing. >> i think the husband is a lawyer. he knows how to handle things. >> there you go. >> but it brings up -- have you ever had neighbors and gotten a little bit too much in their business. you say you're a nosey neighbor. >> i am nosey. >> have you got into people's business. >> not too much. >> have you had a neighbor do something annoying to you. >> trash cans, yes. yeah. >> i had a next door neighbor that cut down half of our tree. >> that's not cool. >> it was over the line. >> over the line and we were going to discuss it and hire somebody to really cut it and she just hired a handy man that came in and hacked it. a 60-year-old tree.

>> did you tell her that. >> yeah we did. >> you had that conversation. >> you settled things? >> well, i just don't talk to her now. >> if you're listening this morning. >> now she knows. >> just joking. just joking. it's a joke. >> neighbors can be nosey and, you know, you live right next to somebody in these areas, you're right up against each other a lot of times or right above or below someone. >> how about you? >> we live in a very small town so everybody knows everybody's business. it's that kind of town. but have to say i have incredible neighbors and for the most part we're all -- >> they're nice. >> we're friendly and help each other out. >> but you're a nice lady too, though. >> she's a lovely lady. >> thank you for that mel b. i'm not the one who is going to be wanting to watch that couple. let's put it that way. >> i want to watch them. i do. >> we know. >> we're going to get you a

folding chair and a pair of binoculars. >> oreos. this is the double stuffed. this is the regular. >> and what's this. >> mega stuffed. >> that looks tastey. >> a math teacher dan anderson runs a blog and he had a recursive process. >> what's that? >> did maps to come up with -- settle debate online because people said that the double stuff wasn't truly a double stuffed oreo. >> he did the math and weighed ten mega oreos. to determine their content and they found that a regular oreo had about 3.6 grams of stuff or the cream. the double has 6.7 grams and the mega has 9.69 grams.

>> oh, that's a triple decker mega stuff. >> that's a double mega. >> just eat it. >> that has 18 grams. >> how do you twist them or do you eat them all together. >> just eat it regular. >> so we should say -- >> i have to read the statement guys. they stand by it's products saying i can confirm for you that our recipes for the oreo double stuffed cookie has double the stuff or cream filling, especially when al roker makes it, when compared with our original oreo cookie. >> this looks more attractive than that one. >> i like the cookie better than the cream. am i one of those people? >> i like the cream. >> why aren't you eating it? >> i'm not really going to eat that? >> you're not. >> not on camera. >> let's get a check of the roker. >> let's show you what's happening. we are looking at wet weather down through florida. showers through the southwest. a cold front pushing through the upper midwest. it's going to bring cooler air

to the northeast eventually but in the meantime it's causing a slight risk of strong storms up through -- your person is telling you to do something. >> pull my dress down. >> a slight risk of strong storms in the upper ohio and mississippi river valley. i keep seeing them going like this. plenty of sunshine in the pacific northwest and sun 9:11 now on a wednesday morning, good morning, i'm meteorologist christina loren. flight delays of one hour out at sfo, should be clearing up pretty quickly, our sky is seeing a lot more sunshine, especially right over the immediate bay and temperatures are going to be warmer today. as a result, looking at plenty of 90s, low 90s, inland livermore, 79, santa theresa, 79, san jose, the spartans are back at school today, san jose state. getting into the weekend, temperatures are actually going to be a touch cooler. these are the perfect cookies aren't they? >> it's a good cookie.

>> no matter how they do it. whether you get double the stuff or not it's perfect every time. >> breakfast of champions. >> coming up next, speaking of breakfast, all the health questions you maybe a little too embarrassed to ask your doctor. mel b. will get answers from our crowd right after this. is a pretty wonderful thing.r but when you have a picky eater... won't touch this. it can be a bit of a dance. ♪ won't touch this. ♪ won't touch -- stop. eggo time. [ female announcer ] eggo waffles can win over the pickiest of eaters so everyone can enjoy breakfast...together. can't touch this. ♪ [ girl ] l'eggo my eggo™. ♪ but i won't do that ♪ or that ♪ or this definitely not this! it hurts but i kind of like it! ♪

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back now with a lesson in gross anatomy. if you ever wanted to talk to your doctor about a health issue but too embarrassed to ask, now is your chance to get answers. >> he is director of gynecology in connecticut. good morning. >> good morning. we have mel b. working the crowd outside with questions. embarrassing on some but go ahead. the ones we always want to ask. >> yes, angela. >> yes. >> what's your question. >> my question is, i'm in my 40s and i've had two children and i

have a weak bladder and i'm just wondering why and what's going on town there. >> that's a great question. >> a lot of women have had children. >> it is. >> so who wants to handle that. >> well, i happen to practice gynecology so i guess this one goes for me. i give you a lot of credit on tv saying it. about half of all women will suffer it at some point. about a decade is how long women will wait. there's a couple of reasons. the most common are overactive bladder or the bladder squeezes and you uncontrolably go. so things are moving too much and you're leaking. there's medications and surgeries that can help but the first things we heard about, the exercises. only problem is most women that do them aren't squeezing the right muscles. there's physical therapy. you can go to a physical therapist to learn how to do the

exercises and you can go online and buy vaginal weights. that sounds crazy. you don't do this at your regular gym. >> i hope not. >> we're doing a whole different workout here. >> the point is you can workout your pelvic muscle. there are great physical therapists. i don't know if your regular trainer is capable of this. >> is this a problem that guys suffer from at all. >> it s. for men it's a completely different story. for men it has to do with prostate problems, prostate swelling, so it's different but there's solutions for men as well. >> i want to throw in there that yet this is embarrassing but you want to talk to your doctor about this. you don't want to muddle through and figure out where all the bathrooms are in your neighborhood. if you have trouble doing that, one, basically when you talk to your doctor, tell him that you're embarrassed. i'm nervous bringing this up but write it down so they can see the question that you have and don't make direct eye contact. sometimes that can make you more

more nervous. when you talk to them, maybe you don't want to look directly at them. >> don't wait ten years. >> and same thing about the pelvic muscles, better orgasms also. >> thank you. what's next mel. >> i'm from delaware and my question is my 7-year-old has gained 14 pounds in a year. what can be done to slow this down besides portion control. >> 14 pounds in one year. 7 years old. is that a concern? >> that's a concern. i'm so glad she brought that up. sometimes having a conversation with your kid about weight can be more nerve racking than talking to them about the birds and the bees but it's a critical conversation to have. one thing you want to make sure is this isn't about how they weigh or how they look. it's about feeling healthy and getting exercise. and there's a thing you want to remember is that this isn't just something your kid is focused on. this is something everyone in the family is doing.

if your kid is doing portion control or eating more healthy fruits and vegetables, if they are exercising more, so is mom and dad and siblings within the household. >> does it help to have a pediatrician. >> it's a family issue. get off the coach. get off your ipad. get the whole family active and off the coach but it could be a health issue. talk to your pediatrician if your child has other symptoms, maybe other signs of a problem. mood changes. there could be hormonal issues. so talk about it with your doctor. >> at 7 years old you hope they're just doing that before they stretch out. >> one more question mel b. >> yes, our final question. how are you doing today. >> i'm fine. >> what is your question. >> well, i drink a lot of energy drinks and i was wondering, what's best for you, energy drinks or coffee? >> or none of the above? >> or water. lots of water. >> you know, energy drinks, they aren't just something that adults are drinking, they're

also something that a lot of kids are consuming. 30% of teenagers are drinking energy drinks. you want to go for the coffee. the doctor will talk more about that. there's proven studies that show how beneficial it is but also the problem with energy drinks is there's a lot of additives. you could be consuming more caffeine than you think or having more sugar that leads to weight gain. >> yeah. >> what's the key to life? every solution is moderation, right? an energy drink has the same amount of caffeine as a typical cup or two of coffee. not a big deal but they're small and easy to drink. a lot of people will have three or four or five of them. it can cause cardiac arrhythmias. they have huge health benefits. coffee may actually be good for your health and prevent cancers but moderation. >> drink water. when you need to replenish. thank you so much. coming up next, all the news you need before you leave your house and from coast-to-coast, last minute travel bargains you could still grab before the summer

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be traveling over the upcoming labor day weekend thanks so an improving economy. triple a expects 34 million americans to travel 50 miles or more from home during the long holiday weekend. that's 1 million more than last year. gas prices a huge reason why. a gallon of gas is down 18 cents from a year ago. if you're in the market for a new car, this could be a great time to buy. late august through september is when discounts and inventory are at their best is when dealers are also trying to clear out the 2013 models to make way for the 2014. you have to see this video. come on down. one of the most famous catch phrases in game show history. we're talking about the price is right of course. take a look. some fans are calling this is greatest come on down ever when he heard his name called he decided not to walk down or run down like most people. instead he decided to crowd surf his whole way down to contestant's row.

that's what we're talking about making a grand entrance. >> that's impressive. >> i hope his performance was as good as the entrance. >> incredible tricks to make your life a lot easier. >> first your local news and weather. of course it's your fault and i'm not punishing myself. i'm having dannon oikos zero per cent fat yogurt; twice the protein of regular low fat yogurt. that's what makes it so thick, rich. oh,.. this is kate... already? my sister... and that was my mother. dannon oikos greek nonfat yogurt, too delicious to be so nutritious. and try new rich creamy dannon oikos dips. so dippin' good. ♪ dannon. is that true? says here that cheerios has whole grain oats that can help remove some cholesterol,

and that's heart healthy. ♪ [ dad ] jan? good morning to you, it is 9:26, i'm marla tellez. a suspectedburg slash in the hospital this morning after he was shot by a security guard outside a senior apartment complex in san jose's almaden area it happened near guadalupe oak park on star wood place. police tell us the security guard was driving home from work and thought he saw someone breaking into his father's car. that's when the guard confronted the group of four suspects and opened fire. one of those suspects was hit and suffered non-life-threatening injuries. a teenager was shot and killed in east palo alto overnight. police say they found the 19-year-old man slumped over in the driver's seat of a parked car with gunshot wounds. he later died at the hospital. officers are now looking for the

gunman. tense homes in san francisco's city hall overnight as police moved in to clear out dozens of student protesters. about 150 students from city college of san francisco staged a sit-in last night demanding mayor ed lee step in and do something to save the college from being forced to close its doors next year. no one was hurt. we will take a look at the weather and traffic after the break. ♪ ♪ turn around ♪ every now and then i get a little bit hungry ♪ ♪ and there's nothing good for me around ♪ ♪ turn around

♪ every now and then i get a little bit tired ♪ ♪ of craving something that i can't have ♪ ♪ turn around barbara ♪ i finally found the right snack ♪ ♪ ♪ i finally found the right snack ♪ 90-calorie fiber one lemon bar. welcome back. good wednesday morning to you. i'm meteorologist christina loren. 68 in sunnyvale, 61, san jose, 63 degrees in livermore with cool conditions around the inner bay. not a lot of that natural ac making its way into the extreme east bay, a warm day today in livermore, about 90 degrees there, but lots of improvement in places like san jose, less humidity, feeling more comfortable temperature-wise, 64 meanwhile at san francisco, getting into the next couple of days, temperatures going to stay steady and we drop off just a

touch saturday into sunday. check on that drive with mike inouye. >> a very slow drive north 880 through oakland. here are a live shot past the coliseum, showing you how tough it is past north high street, the high rise. look at the map, the slow speed in the red, 20 miles per hour in the coliseum, slower on the approach, downtown. west 580 recovering after a series of crashes in the east bay caused a distraction. slow 24, 880, toward the parkway, a crash to the shoulder there, a distraction and the peninsula moving very nice through palo alto. >> thanks very much. we will be back at 9:56 with the next local news update. we will see you then.

welcome back to today on this wednesday morning, august 21st, 2013. i'm with al roker and mel b. who is in for willie. you're listening to the champ by nelly. great performer. good performances this sunday, vmas, mtv's video music awards held at the barclay center in brooklyn. there's speculation going around that nsync is finally going to reunite. >> i think they are. >> they haven't -- when did they break up? >> 2002 was the last time they performed together. >> he confirmed it to me. >> yes. >> you're on a personal basis. >> perez. >> perez who? >> so they are definitely going

to get back together on sunday. >> timberlake, j.c., lance bass. it will be great. >> what is that like? you guys reunited for the olympics. the opening ceremony. >> yeah. >> what was that like? >> well, we had two weeks of rehearsal because we were on top of taxi cabs so for insurance reasons we had to rehearse for two weeks solid. it was lovely being back with my girls. >> one of the worst kept secrets too. >> it wasn't that much of a secret was it? >> we could pretend. >> actually, i didn't know. i am probably the only person on the planet. >> oh, al. >> but i also thought that that was james bond. so, you know. i thought it was the queen. >> you are certifiably nuts. >> i like her. >> it made us think of reunions we would like to see. >> wait, i want to talk about your anniversary coming up tomorrow.

>> 15 years this lady has been married. >> tomorrow will be 15 years. >> that's terrific. >> and you're having a nice little dinner. >> a nice little night out. a good dinner and. >> lingerie. >> would you like to watch mel. >> yes. >> what kind of lingerie is joe wearing? >> oh, boy. anyway, on to the reunion. >> who would you like to see? >> i'd like to see the police get back together. >> yeah. >> that would be good. this was like my growing up mizic. love them. >> okay. >> you picked something different. >> yeah. >> i was like who? i remember now. >> they were great. animal. animal. the muppets. >> oh. >> were they a sensation in the

uk too? >> not so much. >> yes they were. >> they were? >> that show they did was produced by a britt. >> do you know what it is? i'm too young. >> there you go. >> i wish i had that. >> you've been here too long too. no. >> and mel, you want to see who? >> fujis. >> i love lauren hill. her voice is incredible. the big hit that they did. >> but she's in jail right now. >> yeah, she has a little sentence to serve out before there's new plans to get back together, right? >> wow. >> that could be a tough reunion in jail. >> we're going to sneak a mike to you in a cake. >> all right. how about a check of the weather, al. >> al, you are a bit crazy aren't you? >> a bit thank you, al. good morning to you, bay area.

got got a good-looking day shaping up, less humidity out there certainly notice the difference as you walk out the door. plenty of 6 ods out there 68 in sunnyvale. the red flag warning posted for inland spots in the north bay that goes until 5 p.m. we could see dry lightning strikes, isolated if anything does develop. 90 in livermore, 80, redwood city around 64 san francisco, where america's cup will be out on the water later on today. thursday into friday, temperatures level off. today's travel is brought to you by choice hotels. the official hotel of summer. >> on today's travel, if you're trying to sneak in one last trip before the warm summer weather ends, it's not too late to find great deals. >> but you have to book now. he's the host of hotel impossible on the travel channel. good morning. >> good morning. >> it's not too late to book. >> but before we get to that,

what was so funny over there. >> we're going down a dark, slippery path. >> people, they have probably taken a vacation and they're trying to get the last few days of summer out. so we have great deals around the country. the first one is in washington d.c. the group has 11 hotels in washington. their rates start at $145 and go only to $200 and what's great about them they allow your pet for no charge no matter how big or how small. >> it's such a friendly hotel and also environmentally friendly, right? >> absolutely. first real brand that went out and did it the right way and not just talk about it but really did it. >> let's move to colorado, this is a town with a lot of outdoor activities for everybody in the family. >> it's an amazing town right off of i-70. has incredible biking and fly fishing. so it's a really great place and they have a deal, the village of breckenridge has a deal of 1 $5

for the condo. >> for the condo. >> so you can have the kitchen, the bedroom, a living room. so instead of going to restaurants you can bring the food in and cook and save money. >> people say the summers are better there. >> okay, people say that will be out of my price change. >> la jolla on the pacific ocean, $159. we feature it on hotel impossible. they do a great job and you're right across from the reserve. amazing place, amazing shops and most renovated as well. >> last spot, orlando florida. where do you like to stay? >> grand cyprus golf course. do you know what's great about the villas? >> what's that? >> their villas. >> very good. >> that's fantastic. >> thank you so much. great advice. >> thank you. >> coming up next, ever have trouble opening up a jar?

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that's the sweet sound of rewarding connections. apply online or at a bank of america near you. we're always hearing about the newest viral sensation but our youtube users were gaining hundreds of thousands of fans every day. >> yes, here with some of the best online stars to watch is youtube's abby. good morning. >> good morning. >> how are you. >> i'm good. >> battle of the accents. this is fantastic. >> she is a little more posh than i am. >> you know about somebody named posh. >> yes, i do. >> okay. >> did you really just say that? >> i did. youtube using dillon heart. >> yeah, this is a channel called household hacker and all the ones we're looking at today, these are all youtube channels that have half a billion views.

how to videos, this one rising in the last week is food hacks that you need to know. you're handy around the kitchen so you need to know but some of them we're going to look at here are how to open a jar more easily. these are simple household chores. >> how do we open a jar? let's get down to the nitty-gritty. >> you'll take your duct tape and you need a length of duct tape about a foot, something like that. i don't know how simple this one is. what you're going to do is put a little bit on the jar like this around the top and seal it down and then that should help you open it more easily like that. >> no. >> what you've done is taped the -- >> i've taped it down now so it's not going to open. >> i think you taped it to the

jar. you made it a little bit difficult for yourself. >> that worked out well. banana and the shoe. >> shining a shoe with a banana. >> i've heard about this. >> i've heard about it. >> who knows, but peel the banana and then you're just going to -- >> peel it out. >> wruz tuse the inside of the o shine it. >> and then do you buff it down? >> use the rag to wipe it off. >> the problem is you're going to be attacked by monkeys. >> you don't want that. >> there you go. >> that's rough. >> anyway, moving on, a scarf. >> this one style tip, this video has 20 million views and every time it gets cold somewhere in the world it gets popular again. this is 25 ways to tie a scarf. >> you get one each. >> oh. >> we're all going to demo this. we'll start with the easy one. >> there you go, look. >> win wendy's look book. it's a great channel of style

tips. we'll start with the braid. fold it in half. you might know this one already, pull it around and threat it through and switch it around like that and it goes through again. braid. >> then you go into a bank. all right. what's next here? >> we're going to move on. we're running out of time. >> okay. back to school how tos. this is from someone that knows a lot about back to school. she is 17 years old. this is locker organization tips. >> look at that. >> she has all kinds of ideas. >> that's impressive. >> she has the shelving and polled her fans to find out what's the most essential thing? hand sanitizer and mirror. >> this you need to know about from richard in the uk but it's popular here. you start with this one. you challenge your friends to

take a credit card and you need to balance it on top of the glass and you need to balance a coin. >> is this a drinking game? >> it could be. >> see if you can do that. >> i see. >> it's got to be one side like that. >> i did it. >> no, it has to be on one side like that. >> al did it. >> no, it has to be at the edge. >> no i didn't. >> here's the trick. >> what's the point of this though. >> you're challenging your friends to do it. you fill it up all the way to the top and this is how you win and the water tension is going to let you do it. >> very smart. >> maybe. >> well, i didn't see the point of that one. >> thank you. >> thank you so much. >> and to find out more about these youtube stars at today.com. oh, wrong camera. there you go. >> now it's the right one. you have a budding architect at home, maybe even a weather person. toys to help your kids figure out what they want to be when

they grow up. right after these messages. esent innovation, tempur choice. it features an adjustable support system that can be personalized with a touch of a button. so both of you can get the best sleep possible...together. goodnight love chickens. ...excuse my english, love birds.. there are lots of jamie"jamies" out there,... huh? but that doesn't mean we're all the same. just like greek yogurts. that's why i prefer activia greek. you got that right jamie, there's nothing like it! exactly, because activia greek is the only greek with exclusive probiotic bifidus regularis, and it helps regulate your digestive system. i love its thick creamy texture! mmm! the greek nonfat yogurt that helps tummies smile! activia greek... like no other greek yogurt. ♪ dannon

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today's classroom is brought to you by kelloggs frosted miniwheats cereal. >> okay. so in today's classroom, toys that teach. now, if your child talks about being a film maker one day or maybe being the next al roker. >> there you go. >> there's some exciting toys that can help spark their dreams. now, describe what's going on here. >> here we go. well, mel this is a speak peek at our platinum award list we'll roll out next month. they inspire future film makers like this spy camera. we're not suggesting your kids train to be spies but with with this camera you can get 360 degree views of the plaza and audio and go on the website. it's one of the most innovative

toys we have seen this year. we captured video this morning. >> now, do you have kids? >> i do. >> do your kids use all of this stuff too? >> we do. what we do is review toys all yearlong to find the best of them. she is looking at the leap pad reader. >> i love this. >> this is to encourage writers and readers. to become a great writer you to read lots of things. we want our kids to be reading and they can practice writing as well with. >> i love that by the way. >> thanks. lego. you can't beat lego. >> you can't. it talks about teaching kids about sticking with past problem solving and they can start with this set and go on to more robotic programming which is great. >> hey al. he is talking about the magic school bus weather set which i thought would be up your alley. >> yes. >> it really makes science hands on. all the numbers that you talked about on tv, kids can follow the

weather. they can keep track of the weather in their area. >> that's right. >> with their own little weather lab. now we're making a tornado here in a bottle. >> yeah and you get the spin there. there you go. spinning around. >> mel over here we have engineering. china has 40% of the graduates for women and this country is barely 17%. so there's goldiblocks which was the brain child of a graduate from engineering school and they're playing with the set. it teaches them basic building and engineering terms as well. >> now eric is over here. i love them for future architect and building designers. everything we get as a consumer society, someone designed it, someone engineered it, this is where you start. with the building blocks of building sets. >> cool. i like that. >> i do. >> finally, we have the jewels. i don't know if you play this online. >> i do. >> i thought about you actually

because look how beautiful this board game is. this is probably solving, critical thinking. we have a future lawyer here but you need critical thinking skills. this is where it starts. >> i love that. >> all right. stephanie, with toy portfolio.com. thank you so much. thank you guys. thank you very much. we're back in a moment. but first, this is "today" on nbc. ♪ ♪ turn around

♪ every now and then i get a little bit hungry ♪ ♪ and there's nothing really good around ♪ ♪ turn around ♪ every now and then i get a little bit tired ♪ ♪ of living off the taste of the air ♪ ♪ turn around, barry ♪ i finally found the right snack ♪ ♪ ♪ i finally found the right snack ♪ try new fiber one peanut butter protein bars.

and how to give your entire house a make over from the inside out. >> an entire hour of home improvement with kathie lee and hoda. >> hoda. they take out half of the house and put in

good morning to you. it is 9:56. i'm marla tellez. a bill developed after a deadly limo fire on the san mateo bridge will be the focus before the assembly appropriations committee it would require safety inspections

for all limos. right now, only limos reported to hold ten passengers or more undergo safety inspections. san jose is taking a hard look at its taxpayer-funded program aimed at getting rid of graffiti a recent audit found things are going well. graffiti is usually removed within 48 hours and response times have been good when the public reported graffiti via a smartphone app but some council members say the program is costing more than anticipated and they would like to see the city hire more than one contractor so prices stay competitive. wildfire danger on the mind of many of us. let's take a look at the forecast now with meteorologist christina loren. >> hey, thanks, marla. welcome back. we missed you over the past couple of days. got a red flag warping in place for the north bay, until 5 p.m., with the threat of dry lightning. until then, aft which are time, see the humidity decrease, 90 in livermore, 79, sap jose, 79, los gatos. into the next couple of days, temperatures will cool off for thursday and warm you back up to

91 on friday, nice and level though, feeling comfortable saturday into sunday, just about everywhere across the bay area. let's check on your drive with mike. >> all right. look to fremont where we are seeing 880 here past the truck scales, tesla, moves just fine in the southbound direction, the map will show you slow coming off the dumbarton bridge, passing two earlier crashes, things smooth out as you approach auto mall parkway and into that early traffic shot. look at traffic ahead of you and north, 880 past 238, stale little slow off the castro valley y, it boggs down, as you need downtown, just north of the coliseum, 580 by comparison, very clear. things continue to sort out. oakland's commute, toward the bay bridge, this morning. >> thanks so much. be back with the next local news update at 10:26. ♪

♪ turn around ♪ every now and then i get a little bit hungry ♪ ♪ and there's nothing good for me around ♪ ♪ turn around ♪ every now and then i get a little bit tired ♪ ♪ of craving something that i can't have ♪ ♪ turn around barbara ♪ i finally found the right snack ♪ ♪ ♪ i finally found the right snack ♪ 90-calorie fiber one lemon bar.

from nbc news, this is a special home edition of "today" with interior designer wannabe kathie lee gifford and clutter queen hoda kotb. from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> that's right. hello, everybody. it's a special wines day wednesday june 5th around here. i'm excited about this today, because i love nesting and building a home and then selling it and then finding another one and doing it again. and hoda has basically already zoned out. >> the show is about decluttering, you know how excited i am about that. >> so many segments on that and you haven't learned anything yet. >> we're going to try. each segment has to do with

either decluttering or spicing up your place. >> whether you're a college student or married forever and ever. by the way, welcome. welcome to all our favorite college students who are so happy they are out of college. >> we've been waiting for you. >> we've been waiting for you guys. so excited you're able to watch us. >> watch us drink in the morning. >> yes. >> okay, anyway, we have to go on record saying we were wrong about "the voice." >> oh, were we. i wonder why? >> here's the thing, there were six singers left yesterday and both of us were called upon to choose which one would be eliminated. only one was going to be eliminated last night, and after a lot of rigger ma role, we both thought we liked her, but amber carrington from team adam was ready to go. this was amber's moment. >> i have the name of the next person advancing to the

semifinals. let's get to it. amber carrington from team adam! america keeps her in the game. amber moves on. >> i love you. i love you. oh, i love you. >> okay. >> little love fest happening. >> something special happening. nomptle u we're going to choose again. it came down to the swan brothers, who you saw. both from team blake. we're going to watch a couple of segments. please, don't speak. ♪ ♪

>> okay, of those two, who do you think? holly. yeah, i think holly. >> and you are correct. >> really? >> holly went home. >> holly's lovely, but when i listen to her voice, it's not a voice i have never heard before. >> it's a beautiful voice. >> it's reminiscent of many others. those swan brothers, first of all, they have a great name. it's like remember when the gatland brothers came along? we haven't seen a male judds, something like that. they are charming and the young one, i think he's the younger one, is hot. i think they have more of a chance. >> they have a real chemistry. >> i wish holly all the best. she seems like a lovely young lady, but you made me quit. >> see how well i do when you don't interrupt? >> i don't interrupt often. there was a story, and i'm sure

you've seen the picture by now, a worker at taco bell was seen putting his tong on a whole big sleeve of tacos, and this guy, it ended up going viral, it was posted and stuff. this guy ended up getting canned for the licking. come to find out, they were actually training at taco bell. >> this was in a training session, never meant to be used in an actual restaurant. >> and the people were supposed to show how the tacos were used and how much they love them. >> they were encouraged to show their love to the product and how fun it is. he's a young guy. here's what the company said, they said it's a joke that went too far. the taco shells were used for training. employees were encouraged to snap picks of them enjoying the new product. >> you know who had fun with this, though, david letterman. let's listen. >> category, top ten calls received to taco bell headquarters, taco bell headquarters. take a look at this. a guy -- they posted this.

>> number ten, lick, add subtract calories? nine, does he wear a hair net? when will licked shells be available in my area? is he single? number three, is he the same guy that stood in the lettuce? remember that guy who stood in the lettuce? >> probably the same guy. >> of course, it's the same guy. >> the number one call received at taco bell headquarters, hi, michael douglas here. >> oh, oh, oh. except for that last little bit, you know what, hoda and i disagree on this. we often do, but when i first saw the picture, i said, he has to be fired. you cannot do that. when i heard the circumstances and he's a young kid, he was encouraged, somebody posted it. nobody knows why.

he didn't do the posting of it. i think -- look at the things we do around here when the cameras aren't going. >> or when they are going. it's really bad. >> yeah, exactly. i think he's a young guy, learn from his mistake and let him go back and keep the job. >> the trouble with a photo is you don't ever know the context often. >> we just explained it. >> most people weren't listening, you know what i mean? >> i know some stuff about you. what about that summer camp experience, would you have liked that to be held against you for the rest of your life? >> few summer camp experiences. >> don't you want somebody else to give you another chance? >> yes, i would. the guy should have a fine life. he won't be working at taco bell, so what. he'll have a better job. wait, wait, wait! i need my own -- >> hoda needs it. i hear they are hiring at

mcdonald's. >> a lot of great jobs are out there, including the taco bell job, but there are other equally good or better jobs available that he'll get. >> i love it when you get in trouble instead of me. kathie lee would like to apologize. >> it's not kathie lee, she said nothing. hoda needs her own -- you know what i'm saying? >> let's get rid of this wearing white at weddings thing, because our people have weighed in. i swore off white at bobby thomas's wedding. i didn't know it was an issue, and it didn't even look that great. >> you looked amazing. >> anyway -- >> not in that particular picture, but in real life she looked awesome. you're going to have to take my word for it. >> so sweet. >> it was inappropriately short, but with a tall woman like hoda with egyptian legs, it was quite the statement. nobody seemed to mind. >> okay, so we asked you guys if

you thought it was okay to wear white at a wedding. >> 55% said no, huh? >> yeah. >> you weren't wearing white. you were wearing cream. there were some spots on it, too. 45% of you said -- you know the white dress you were wearing yesterday the one we really love even though we have seen it 25 times? it has spots on it. it needs to be retired. >> you have spots on the back. yeah, i know. >> hoda, anyway, facebook fan leigh said it best, if you are hoda kotb, you can wear whatever you want to wear and it will be fine. got over 300 likes, hoda. >> thank you, leigh. >> no, you showed up early, we were going to have a moment together, like a girlfriend. you took my breath away and i don't even swing that way, if you know what i'm saying, but you were amazing. all right, guys, we have a fun show in store for you.

it starts at the front door. >> lou is here. >> we're going to talk -- >> kitchen cousins are here. >> about boosting your curb appeal. when you see a house, how can you make it better? we'll show you. >> stand out front in a thong and you'll sell that baby. >> we'll show you how. first, these messages. age perfect glow renewal. renews my skin's youthful glow. the incredible restoring power of 8 essential oils. l'oreal glow renewal is ultra-light, non-greasy, absorbs quickly. just a few drops, morning and night to deeply nourish. for skin with an incredible glow new age perfect glow renewal facial oil from l'oreal paris. you're glowing, and you're worth it. are so divine. more divine than this? oh yah. well what about... [ shopper ] sharon!? [ female announcer ] new skinny cow divine filled chocolates.

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to be called walmart choice premium steak. all these steaks are from walmart. oh my gosh! top ten most tender steaks i've had. i'm going to start buying meat at walmart. walmart's prices are so low you could have steak at every game. it's 100% satisfaction guaranteed. try it. all right. you know what they say, you don't get a second chance to make a good first impression. neither does your house. >> so many of us focus on what's happening inside, but from landscaping to the color of your door, it's the curb appeal that makes your house inviting. >> she's adorable. i like to call her genevieve.

hgtv star here to take you from before to better. great to have you here. >> i love to see you ladies in the morning. >> we're going to look at some homes, befores and afters. what are a couple general things? >> general rules, is you should really treat the exterior of your home much like you do the interior. you need the color balance, you need the texture story, you need the right lighting, you need a sense of depth. so far we put everything up against our house. we have a whole yard to play with. >> you want it to be inviting. you don't want somebody to say, oh, hate the outside and not want to be in. >> exactly. your house needs to be a sedructress. >> you're going to show us. this is landscaping for sure. >> everybody has this how in their neighborhood, a generic new build, but look at all this

space in front of the house. a lot of straight lines and a lot of masculine without a lot of curve. >> hello. >> gives that sense of depth by planting a tree in the foreground, all of a sudden it looks bigger. >> look warmer. >> there's some perspective. the hedge breaks up the linear horizontal lines. >> can we change the color of the door? >> let's go. two, three colors is a bit timid. to add even a soft gray here. >> if you go to a home depot, you can get a lot of that landscaping. >> you can get the trees there, too, but have you a monochromatic walkway, with some wild grass. >> not crazy about the wild grass. keep it at the beach where it fits. >> maybe it's at the beach. >> no, no, i see no water. >> house number two.

>> rocks for kathie. >> very cape cod. we're drawn to that weird red stripe beneath the door. it's nothing we could be looking at. >> brick or stone. >> or just make it go away. >> it's still not good. >> it's coming. bring that seem where it meets the lawn. >> is that a little boxcar? >> it's boxwood? >> and then planter boxes, so inexpensive at the home improvement store. >> did you change the color of the door? >> we are, we are getting there. they already got there. we changed the lighting, changed the door, took away the focus of the strange red stripe. >> we have time to squeeze in one last one. >> i can't do this all day. >> let's do it. >> victorian. >> american four square, great bones but really blah.

the first thing i suggested is to give a door that has the same era of the house. it had a cheap door and all these windows and doors need to be era-specific. i think it's a shame if you deny them that. beautiful new door. bringing in some irises and floral up front. you don't need a hedge when you have the balance and the porch swing. >> or some beautiful big victorian rockers with the plant. >> exactly. if you have the porch, if you have the lawn, bring seeding in. and now i want to go to your house. >> big difference. >> wow. thank you so much. >> it's fun. >> good to see you, sweetheart. >> hgtv star premiers this sunday again on june the 9th. if you want to be the first on the block with all the new trends. >> the kitchen cousins have what you're looking for. >> i love those guys. they're so cute. >> right after this. i like a clean kitchen. i don't do any cleaning. i make dirt.

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it's time for today's project home. the hottest trend from wall art to high-tech green gadgets, that will give your hose that extra edge. >> and here to show you how it's done are the two famous cousins, anthony and john, they're the hosts of the upcoming series "cousins undercover." >> great to see you guys. it's a new show. >> it is, all about neighborhood

heroes, and surprising the homeowners. >> fun. >> bigger and better. huge renovations. >> really? >> yes. >> we like this, number one, all affordable things. >> we looked at technology, affordable and some fun stuff for summer. we're starting with a green wall here. it's magnetic, so these come right off, easy to plant on the side and hang them up in your home. >> don't let it fall. >> great as a feature wall great to plant herbs in. >> great for herbs. >> beautiful succulents right here. >> i love when you talk like that. say that again. >> mint, rosemary. anything you use in the kitchen. >> and it's inexpensive? >> yes, it is. >> something like this, you're talking $75. very affordable. >> but then you have to buy the plants. >> exactly. come on, look at these beautiful photos. >> i know these two ladies. >> look at blakey. >> this is a company called canvas pop. i've been using them personally

for years. they used to only do huge photos. now these -- and i know these are all instagram photos. the problem with instagram, they are low resolution. canvas pop has a technology c l called picture perfect. it gets rid of the pixels, but as a user, you don't need to understand it, you upload the photo, and they do all the work. >> how is that hanging up? >> these are on velcro for the set, but one nail on the wall and you're done. >> very easy. very easy. let's get into the fun stuff. this is green tech. you have to love your smart thermostat. programmable settings, so seven days a week, four settings a day, and i can take out my iphone and control it. easy. >> does kathie's phone work on that? >> i don't know if that's going to work. but it's great for the energy savings. very easy, $100, then you get into a docking station. what's great about this is, too many people plug in appliances.

what they don't realize is your appliances are actually using electricity. this lets you know how much electricity. it can manually turn off, use an ipad with it, you can use an iphone with it. you have a lot of options. >> what do you mean it turns off? i did not understand that at all. start over. >> we're not technology educated. >> you can use the app to actually shut the outlet down. forget about the appliance drawing power. >> oh, i see. i see. >> it's all about conserving. we want to conserve. >> really, the beauty is the costs we're talking about, maybe $100 here, $150 there -- >> but it adds up. >> it sure does. >> they pay for themselves inside the three months when you look at your power savings. yes, a little investment up front, but a savings. >> especially if you use your blender a lot. >> do you use your blender a lot? >> no, never. >> i never use it. >> what's next? >> the last two items on the home automation, an outlet you

can control from your iphone, smartphone, or android device. it also has a motion sensor. when you walk in the room, the light will stay on for ten minutes. as long as it senses motion, it keeps going. >> what do we have at the end? i didn't like that much. i like the pretty stuff. >> this is the girly stuff? >> pretty stuff. >> color blocking. how much do we love color blocking? color blocking in fashion is huge, it's the rage. >> look at you. >> see that? >> listen, wait until you see his suit for his wedding. >> what's great is you're taking bold colors, putting them together, but you want to stay in the same family. you have a beautiful place setting like this, but what's great is it can be used all over your home, all over. >> love it. >> is this what you're doing at your wedding ? >> this is what i'm doing at my wedding in two weeks. >> congratulations. wishing you all the best. from the white house to the house in the movie "home alone." and from rubber mulch to

power washing, our fix-it guy lou manfradini is here. >> to keep your interior in tip top shape. s a stable in our house for school lunches look at walmart's price. wow! that's great. if you find a lower advertised price they'll match it at the register. really... yeah, in a "jif". that's walmart's everyday low price. seriously?! yeah! now you have everything you need for back to school. that was easy. more school for your money. guaranteed. ok, here you go. what?! that's the walmart low price guarantee backed by ad match. save time and money getting your kids ready for school. bring in receipts from your local stores and see for yourself. invents our ultimatereal expertise sulfate-free system for curly hair. new l'oreal evercurl. free of sulfates. our nourishing formulas with oils deeply moisturize every

twist and turn. so curls are soft, beautifully defined. new l'oreal evercurl. it's not a candy bar. 130 calories 7 grams of protein the fiber one caramel nut protein bar. it is 10:26 now, good morning. i'm marla tellez a suspected burglar is in the hospital this morning after he was shot by a security guard outside a senior apartment complex in almaden. this happened near guadalupe oak grove park on star wood place.

police tell us the security guard was driving home from work and thought he saw someone breaking into his father's car. that's when he confronted the group of four suspects and opened fire. one of the suspects was hit and suffered non-life-threatening injuries. a teenager was shot and killed in east palo alto overnight. blitz say they found the 19-year-old man slump evidencer in the driver's seat of a parked car with gunshot wourpds. he later died at the hospital. officers are now looking for the gunman. we will take a look at your forecast and the roads after the break. ♪

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welcome back. i'm meteorologist christina loren. still have high fire danger part of the bay area, the north bay, ex-sended until about 5 p.m. this evening with the threat of dry lightning strikes. you want to keep that in mind. today's highs work like this, 89 in livermore, 74, fremont, 79 degrees in san jose. we have a cooler pattern headed our way just in time for the weekend. take you through your full forecast today at 11:00. first, want to check your drive with mike inway. >> heavier volume around the bay kicking in, them coming back online. the bay bridge toll plaza, fast track lane big advantage four. cash rains backed up past the 880 overcrossing. as you look at the map, we have a slowing south bound 880 head through downtown oakland, around 29, reports of a fire extinguisher in lanes, one carhood hit. oakland 880 past the coliseum, a lighter volume of traffic.

all right, we're back with more of "today." we're ready to play, who knew? and we're going to test your knowledge of famous houses in tv, music, and movies. kathie lee is, of course, across the street at the nbc experience store. she's ready to hand out 100 bucks to those who get the answers right. to those who don't, they get the kathie lee's famous cd. here is kevin o'connor, host of "this old house." are you ready? >> bring it on. >> let's see how well our folks do. >> a lovely lady from illinois. one of the most famous tv homes ever. name the tv family that lived in this home. the cosbys, the griffiths, bradys or the cunninghams? >> the bradys. >> yeah.

>> that is such an iconic house. >> and it's a real house. >> is it? >> it absolutely is. that house was built in 1959. it's a split-level ranch, so it only has two bedrooms, clearly not big enough for the family and alice. so they did a little hollywood magic, but the interiors of course, were shot on a hollywood studio. >> back across to kath. >> the white house is one of the most well-known homes in the world. how many bathrooms are in the house? hey, stop it. hold it down. ist 1, 15, 35, or doesn't everybody have 75? >> 35. >> you got it. >> she was right! and, of course, everyone from new orleans is always right in my eyes. so 35 restrooms. whoa. >> as we say in boston, she's pretty smart. 35 restrooms.

sounds like a lot, but there's actually over 130 rooms in total in the white house, so there's a lot of rooms. but the interesting thing is the white house was pretty much completed in 1800. they didn't have indoor plumbing until 1833. yeah. a long time. first guy to move in president john adams, no plumbing at all. >> back across. >> woof indeed. another lady from new orleans. renovating which room in your house would give you the biggest return on your investment -- family room? kitchen? people, please! farm -- family room, kitchen, laundry room, bath? >> i know it's between the kitchen and bath, i'm going to say kitchen. >> good girl. good girl. >> they are on a roll. a kitchen really does change the value of your home? >> it's the first thing that people look at when they're looking to buy a house. it makes that first impression. and it turns out that you get a bigger bang for your buck for redoing a kitchen.

newer not going to get 100 cents on the dollar back, the average is about 65 cents on a dollar, so don't go crazy. everybody won't love your ooba tuba granite and all that. >> back across to kath. >> this house was located in a suburb of what, new york? chicago, st. louis or detroit? >> i'm going to go with new york. [ buzzer ] >> oh. my hot pop cd for her. do i have to give everyone has a story? she'll love it. here you go. >> you see the cheers. actually it was the suburb of chicago. >> it was. i saw the eye roll, too. a real house built in 1921. it's a big house, over 4,000 square feet. it just sold last year for $1.6 million, which is pretty good considering the movie. >> back across to kath. >> look who's visiting from fargo.

finish the lyrics to this song made popular by the group madness. ♪ ♪ our house >> is a very, very fine house. >> that would be crosby stills nash and young, but i figure you're just going to enjoy this party animal. that's me and hodie in the chicken outfit. >> real quick, though, "our house in the middle of the street." >> absolutely, a one-hit wonder possibly for this band. came out in 1982. we make all our home owners on "this old house" sing that. >> no, you don't. >> no, we don't. because it gets stuck in your head like it is now. >> thank you for joining us. our man of the house, lou manfredini has some tips for us. right after this. we love our lou. peoi go to angie's listt for all kinds of reasons. to gauge whether or not the projects will be done

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all is good when our favorite handyman is in the house with his fix-it advice. >> today he's taking us outside from your garden -- >> wait, keep that shot. you look like the female bob the builder, with this barely on your head. you look like you're going to temple. >> lou, lou, lou. >> you know what? i need a sip of my screwdriver. >> we have screwdrivers in our tool belt. lou is host of the syndicated show "house smarts." he actually did the impossible. he made a hat fit you. that's amazing. >> do you have a large noggin? >> i do. let's talk mulch, shall we? >> this is one of the best ways to update outside. keep drinking your screwdrivers. simple and effective. this is a pine mulch here. a cedar mulch as well.

they cost about $5, $6 a bag that you can buy at garden centers, home centers, and by using a fab lick like this underneath the mulch before you put it down, it's going to help you control the weeds. it's going to help things look nicer as far as your overall landscape, but it's going to hold moisture and help your plants retain that moisture to grow better. one of the best ones out there, this is a rubber mulch, made from ground-up tractor tires, made in st. louis, missouri. the idea behind this is it doesn't decay. the color stays wonderful. >> you do have to repeat this. >> yeah, you've got to keep putting it down. these are $5, $6 a bag, but this is $12 a bag. >> but in the long run. >> under a play set. under a swing set, great alternative. >> it's bouncy. >> could it be we just use three tons of mulch in our yard for bobbie's wedding? does that sound possible? >> absolutely. absolutely. >> there you have it. >> where are you going? >> i don't know. we're going here. we're going to go here first. we're going to talking about cleaning outside. >> bob.

bob. this windex outdoor cleaner for the windows is a pad cleaner that quite honestly when it first came out i thought it was a complete gimmick. >> we just used this. it was amazing. >> i started to use this on my own home. it really does work. so all you end up doing, because we're in the studio, you take a hose with a sprayer, and you spray the glass to get it wet. then you take this pad cleaner and start scrubbing the window back and forth. the windex cleaner is in this pad. you can reach up to 11 feet. i wish they had a longer pole, but you can adapt this to work. once you really scrub it, rinse it, and there's no streaks. >> you know what we used? the windex that attaches to your hose. it was fantastic. >> these are siding cleaners. >> we used that too. >> what's krud kutter. >> are you their spokesperson? >> we did everything right.

>> these all user really well to clean the exterior of your home. it shoots up to 40 feet and it's awesome. this is my favorite moss, mildew and algae product, wet & forget. they've been using this on the roop roof of the sydney opera house for years. you spray it on your awnings, patio, decks. >> on your depends. >> it's an exterior surface. it mixes with the rain and wind and will take care of the algae in 30 days. it's going to look great. outdoor decks, bringing them back to life, this is something we have a lot of people with outdoor living. there's a lot of options there. there's waterborne products like this, you have to use the stain and their topcoat. oil based. >> it really, really works, doesn't it? >> it really works. oil-based semitransparent like this cabot, is the industry standard. the key is you have to pressure wash that deck, get it really nice and clean. >> prep it. >> and then put the oil-based in there it if your deck is in bad shape, this product is called restore.

did you liked the dipped cones when you go to the dairy queen? >> who doesn't like the dipped cones. >> this is like that layer that goes over the cone. it is a paint. and you go nice and slowly to apply this finish over the deck. >> it stays like that? >> it does. >> it sinks in. >> and it grabs it like that hard shell on an ice cream cone, but it gives you a nonslip surface. this is tintable. easy to do. when the decking looks like this, you can bring it back to life. when you do an entire deck, it's beautiful. >> lou, you're the best. >> we don't care what anybody says, we think you're awesome. >> do you need help with a project? you can head to our facebook page. we'll have your questions on your wall. lou will answer them next week. ready to put your house on the market? we'll show you how you can save your home for a quick fix. >> right after this. where's my screwdriver? young women are sacrificing so much today

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whether you want to sell your house or you just want it to look picture perfect, there are some tricks of the real estate trade that you should know about. >> sabrina soto went to a home in brooklyn to show you how to stage your house for next to nothing. >> nice. i think the biggest misconception is that staging costs a lot of money. really the truth is, if your place is in good shape, it's all about decluttering, adding a few punches of color with some accessories and fresh flowers. less than $100 per room, i'm going to spruce this place up. when you walk through the front door, your potential buyer should be greeted with a light and bright space with no clutter. usually a console table, a catch-all for your everyday

life. listen, i get it. it's a little inconvenient, but everything has to be put away. my goodness. even if you have no budget whatsoever, cleaning can go a long way. when you're in the dining room, don't feel like you have to completely put out a whole dinner service. forget about it. just a few fresh flowers is good enough. use something from another part of the house into a new space. no shoes out, ever, ever, ever. this is the christmas tree stand. just sayin'. so i spent nothing except for the cost of a few flowers and treats for the real estate agent and their guests. really it's about decluttering cleaning, and brightening the space. >> so in this room we have pretty good bones, we just need to declutter and depersonalize. when sling your house, there are no personal photos allowed. you want the buyer to envision themselves in the house and not see tons of family photos around.

when you're decluttering, this doesn't mean throw everything in the closet. buyers will look into every nook and cranny of your home. when they open every closet door, you want to make sure the spaces are well organized, too. the key is when arranging furniture, you want 36 inches between a big piece of furniture and another piece off the wall. the kitchen is the heart of the home. this can make or break a sale. with a kitchen this good, you should be uncluttered. you want to show off all the counter space you have, so again clear it out. after you clean your stainless steel. you want to keep fingerprints away with mineral oil. just dab mineral oil on a rag, and it creates a little film to keep all the fingerprints away. under an hour, and just one trip to the grocery store, i was able

to stage this entire place, which shows you don't have to spend a lot of money to stage. you just need to clean, declutter, and produce spruce up what you got. >> good job, sabrina soto. >> we like her. >> we like her a lot. want to renovate your home, but not go broke doing it? >> get your place looking new on a budget. >> first, this is "today" on nbc.

all right. you know how it is, you've lived in the same place for years and tired of the outdated cabinets, but don't have the money to renovate. >> john desilvia, host of diy network's "rescue my renovation" has some ideas to give you the most bang for your buck. >> good morning. >> i know a lot of us have the same old fridge, you're just sick of everything.

>> and one dingy thing can spoil everything. forget about it! >> budget renovations, right? you have an old refrigerator. you don't have the money to buy new stuff. you go out and buy this, $5 a can. two cans, a spray paint. you can get a stainless steel look getting rid of this old white look. >> so you left it striped like that to be cool? >> to show a before and after. >> it's retro, kind of like the jetsons here. >> we were going to spray here, but we can't have it in the studio. >> we can't have a lit candle. what's next? >> i can't tell you how many kitchens i go into. on the diy network, we always renovate kitchens for free, so people don't have the money to upgrade their kitchens. i always see old laminate countertops. they don't know what to do with it. this is what you do with it. rust-oleum, and it's a long process, but they give you a dvd

and bring you through the whole process, step by step. >> what's it cost? >> $250. >> instead of $15,000, maybe. unbelievable. >> the average kitchen countertop, $5,000 to $10,000 easy. >> wow, i didn't know that. what do you do? how's the process work? >> there are so many different steps. we don't have the time to go into it. >> follow the directions. >> follow the directions. the dvd really gives you a step by step process. >> this is the finished product. >> yes. >> wow! >> and i love the way you left the before and after. just kidding. >> what's happening here? >> homeowners always ask me what's a good project to upgrade my kitchen? as diy-ers, they don't know where to start sometimes. backsplash tile, always upgrades. >> nasty to take it away. >> yes. yes. this stuff is peel-and-stick. no grout necessary, no adhesive. >> if you don't like it, is it as easy to remove as well? >> you can take it off real easy. peel it.

>> wow, i cannot tell you -- you could redo your entire kitchen in a day. >> all right. >> wow. that's really amazing. >> stainless steel, glass. >> and it goes right on top of the old. >> yes. >> about one minute. >> now we have kitchen knobs. kitchen knobs. quickest upgrade of a kitchen, change the hardware. >> yes, hoda. >> $2 for a pull. you want to get fancy with glass or ceramic. >> they looks like completely different cabinets. excellent. this is all so good, compared to last time. >> no powder on the floor this time. hardwood floor, 3/4 of an inch thick, real stuff. this is laminate? goes down really fast. >> last thing. last couple seconds. >> hoda is zoning out. >> upgrade your vanity, install a new faucet. this faucet is really cool, because it's touch technology. all you do it touch it and water

comes out. >> stop it, john. >> thank you, john, as always. [ male announcer ] with at&t,

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♪ good morning, thanks for being with us. i'm marla tellez. jon kelley has the day off. detectives in san jose are trying to figure out if a security guard was in the right when he shot a suspected auto burglar. it happened in a quiet neighborhood in the al man dan area of san jose at an apartment complex for senior citizens. bob redell is live at the scene now with the latest. bob, good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you, marla. you can see over my shoulder, detectives have arrived back out here toe do a follow-up on their investigation. if you look to the left inside the parking lot, you can see the shadow of auto glass where the