good morning. breaking news, mall massacre. at least 59 people dead. nearly 200 more wounded. after militants linked to al qaeda opened fire inside a crowded mall in kenya. a tense standoff continues with the terrorists who are holding an unknown number of hostages. anxious to arrive. a woman in labor with twins gets into a car accident on her way to the delivery room. but those babies weren't waiting. this morning the twist of fate that helped ensure a happy ending. and any controversy, all eyes will be on hollywood tonight with an award show that could make history. but that controversy has been over who will be honored this year and who will be left out. today, sunday, september 22nd,

2013. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today." with lester holt, and erica hill. live, from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> welcome to "today" on this sunday morning. i'm erica hill. >> i'm lester holt. we have a lot to get to. we want to start with the breaking news in kenya. the siege is now in its second day. overnight the number of dead from 39 to at least 59. >> the militant terrorist group al shibab has claimed responsibility. >> we'll ask a terrorism expert how vulnerable we may be here in the u.s. because of past statements by this terrorist group. but first, the latest from ron allen who is on scene in nairobi. >> reporter: it was a brazen attack in broad daylight, as one

of the most popular places for families to spend a saturday afternoon, the elegant westgate shopping mall, erupted into a battlefield. gunmen burst in throwing grenades, then firing a hail of bullets. hundreds of people, including many children there for a special event, hid wherever they could. some for several hours, until they could escape. >> he shot at my head. luckily it hit the wall behind me. >> we started to run. >> reporter: a north carolina woman says it was terrifying. >> you could hear them medically going from store to store, talking to people, asking questions, shooting, screams, and then it would stop for a while and they would go to another store. >> reporter: the militant group claimed it was retaliation for the troops being sent into somalia. the gunmen, this man said, had a special message for muslims in

the crowd. nonmuslims, witnesses say, were executed. it was the worst attack since the 1988 bombing of the u.s. embassy. on national television, the country's president said he, too, lost close family members in the attack. as he tried to reassure a nation on edge, and where security is now beefed up in public places. >> we shall hunt down the perpetrators, wherever they run to. we shall get them. and we shall punish them for this heinous crime. >> reporter: this morning the government claims it has the gunmen contained. while hostages remain in several unsecure locations in the mall. and while many wait for word about relatives and friends, still unaccounted for. >> that was ron allen reporting from nairobi. "new york times" photographer tyler hicks was near the mall when the attack happened. he raced inside to capture some

pretty dramatic and scary pictures as the drama unfolded. i spoke with him earlier this morning. i began by asking him what he saw while he was with the police and they began going through the mall looking for survivors. >> reporter: yes, it was very traumatic. just in front of the mall, there were three bombers, one still in the car, three gunned down. as i proceeded up a ramp to an upper level, i could see there were people streaming out. very terrified people streaming out from the upper floor of the mall. this is where i went inside. and linked up with some kenyan police who were sweeping through, looking for militants, and trying to help civilians get out. it was really a horrific scene. there was a woman who had been shot in the head.

and other -- several men scattered around in a cafe, in front of the bank, at the entrance of a supermarket. so it was really a serious situation. >> you've been in some of the worst situations there are, in afghanistan, in pakistan. you won a number of awards for your work there. what's different, though, when you're in this situation, and this kind of attack is unfolding, versus when you're in a war zone? >> reporter: there are a lot of similarities. the people that we were with were doing a classic sweep, that you see in a place like afghanistan, where they're going from one door to the next, peering around corners, clearing hallways, and just moving very cautiously, keeping cautious about any ieds, or bombs that might have been planted. so it was very much like a war

zone inside the mall. >> was there ever a concern, you live in nairobi, was there ever a concern prior to this being in that mall or a place like a mall, that it could be a target? >> reporter: there have been this mall -- there were two places that were always discussed, that people said this could be an attack, that would happen here. and it's always a reality that you think it could happen. but it's always, again, a surprise when it does happen. and unfortunately it did. and it was a very bad one. >> we know it is still unfolding there. i know you're near the scene. we hope this wraps up quickly and without further loss of life. tyler, appreciate your time this morning. thank you. >> reporter: thank you. >> erica, thanks. good morning, good to see you. al shabaab has claimed responsibility. they have named kenya as a target in the past, but they also named the u.s. so, therefore, should we be worried? >> that's part of the problem is

that there's been a history of shabaab recruiting people from this kenya/somali border area. where else are they recruiting from? from right here in the united states, minneapolis, portland, maine. seattle, washington. san diego. these are not places you think of as being the headquarters for terrorist groups. but nonetheless, shabaab has had quite a bit of success in terms of finding local people in these different cities inside the u.s., and bringing them to somalia. that includes both somali ex patriots, as well as people who haven't been in somalia. >> when you look at the mumbai attacks several years ago, low-tech, primarily automatic weapons. we saw that in our own country last week. it wasn't a terror attack, but the notion somebody could walk into a shopping mall and begin shooting is very real anyplace. do we have any defense against that sort of attack? >> it doesn't require a lot of sophistication, it doesn't

require a lot of people or a lot of hardware. this is a concern. when you look at something like kenya, this didn't require years of preparation. they might have taken some time, but it didn't require building a bomb. it didn't require coming up with some sort of complicated scenario. unfortunately that means somebody with relatively little sophistication here in the u.s., whether they have a tie to shabaab, could do something similar. >> a troubling thought. appreciate it. >> thank you very much. president obama will speak later today at what is sure to be an emotional memorial for the victims of that deadly navy yard shooting. kristen welker is live with more. good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. that's right, president obama will take on the all too familiar role of comforter in chief, when he speaks at that memorial service a little bit later on today, from tucson, arizona, to aurora, colorado, newtown, connecticut, all too familiar with delivering these speeches in the wake of a mass

shooting. i anticipate he will pay tribute to the victims as he has in the past. he'll offer words of support. he often draws from scripture in these settings. what i don't expect is it to be a repeat of the newtown speech. that was more of a call to action. it claimed the lives of so many young children, we saw president obama, congressional democrats really renew a stiffer push for gun legislation, with i would have included expanded background checks. they had broad public support. ultimately that legislation didn't even make its way through the democratically-controlled senate. so based on my conversations here at the white house and with those on capitol hill, there doesn't seem to be a real appetite to renew those efforts for stiffer gun laws. that's in part because the politics are so difficult. you saw that in the wake of newtown. and also because, of course, right now washington has its eyes trained on so many other issues from syria to, of course, the looming budget battle. the first lady will be joining

president obama later today. >> kristen, thank you. speaking of the looming budget battle, the president and congress have only eight days left to avoid a possible government shutdown. with the clock ticking, the president took republicans to task on saturday night when he spoke to the congressional black caucus. >> this is an interesting thing to ponder. that your top agenda is making sure 20 million people don't have health insurance. and you'd be willing to shut down the government and potentially default for the first time in united states history, because it bothers you so much. >> david gregory is moderator of "meet the press." good morning. >> good morning. >> this doesn't end well. does either side show any indication of blinking? >> well, i actually think that republicans may blink in this respect. i think while there are those who want to defund obama care, i can tell you, speaker boehner thinks the better, more

palatable fight is to try to delay it and link it to the debt ceiling. that they'll pursue a bill, that would raise the debt ceiling, but include the delaying obama care. what they have felt is a lot of pressure from the house, and from senators like ted cruz and mike leeb, who will say, no, we want this fight over defunding obama care. the speaker said, okay, let's have the fight. >> does the president show an appetite, though, to negotiate over obama care? >> he says no. the problem, lester, is that if he calls for a vote right now in the senate, i don't think the votes are there to raise the debt ceiling. he's going to have to do some negotiation at some level to get it through in the end. >> other issues, the more moderate president of iran rowhani is going to be in new york this week. he had showed some softening, open negotiations with washington in his conversation with ann curry. do we think he will sit down with the president in his visit

to the country? >> i think there's high potential it could happen. and i think it's got to be a straightforward sort of thing to say, look, if we're going to have a conversation, it's going to be a straightforward conversation about you disman e dismantling your weapons program and not being at all, you know, not trying to obfuscate at all about the sanctions. they've shown signs of doing real damage to the iranian economy. they've got to come clean. i think that's where the president will lay down a clear demand. >> david gregory, thanks. we'll talk to you a bit later about what's coming up later this morning on "meet the press." some of the other morning's stories. thomas roberts is here with more on that, including breaking news on a deadly attack near a church in pakistan. >> let's get you caught up on that. we're learning about the new death toll there. we begin in pakistan where a suicide bombing near a church killed 75 people and wounded more than 100 others. this took place about 75 miles from the nation's capital. witnesses say at least one suicide bomber blew himself up near the church entrance while

worshippers were leaving sunday service. no one has claimed responsibility for that attack. highways are reopening a week after torrential rain consumed colorado. officials say the number of people unaccounted for has dropped to about 60 in the hardest hit area. this is evacuees registering. the faa is working to identify the owner of a helicopter that crashed in arizona leaving no survivors. officials say the privately owned chopper crashed nose first into the desert about 70 miles northwest of phoenix. authorities don't know how many people were actually on board. a really bizarre scene on a road in miami has the police investigating the death of a young woman and searching for a toddler. witnesses saw a body fall from the passenger side of a commercial flatbed truck. they say the driver then stopped to pick up the body and kept going. they also say they saw a 2 or 3-year-old child in that truck. investigators later found the body of an 18-year-old woman at a construction site. about two dozen college

football players at three universities protested the ncaa during their games this weekend. you may have noticed they wrote the letters on their gear, representing a campaign at getting more to help minimize brain trauma. players at the university of georgia, georgia tech, and northwestern university all took part. so this you have to see and hear. a priest scolding a wedding photographer, putting the bride and groom in an awkward and uncertain predicament. take a look. >> this is a solemn assembly, not a photography session. please move. or i will stop. >> a look at the groom, look at the bride. look at the groom, look at the bride. okay. the priest, not having any of it. so what do you think? was he right for threatening to stop the wedding? >> i thought the next words out of his mouth were going to be, don't make me stop this car. >> don't make me turn around.

>> you had to go with your childhood minister. but no -- >> i thought it was going to be a joke at first when you were showing that video. then this big break into a wedding dance or something. not at all. >> this is a, get out of my face. >> and do not bring your photographer. >> no. >> thanks very much. there is a powerful typhoon making its way into china. dylan is here with a look at that. >> good morning. at one point it was a super typhoon, now it is typhoon usagi that just made landfall in china. we see the video coming out of places like taiwan when it crossed over there, creating massive flooding. there are no reports of major injuries just yet, but thousands of people were evacuated before it came to shore. so we are still keeping an eye on it, because it just did make landfall about 87 miles east of hong kong. so we certainly are still seeing the potential for flooding and damaging wind gusts. closer to home, we have the

threat of seeing this cold front producing some rainfall, especially up and down the east coast. but it's exiting. we are going to see it continue to push to the east as we go through the rest of the day today. now, in tallahassee, there is still a chance we could end up with possibilities for heavier rainfall. and that is going to continue to move through the northern gulf of mexico. but it is going to improve as we go into this afternoon. that's a look at the weather and out the window this morning, patchy low clouds, a much cooler start to the morning. 40s and 50s outside and the rain has moved on. quite a record-breaking day around the bay area. we will see a few high clouds out of the next system that's going to basically miss us and move off to the north towards oregon and washington, but today with the extra sunshine, we should be a bit warmer. highs in the 60s to mid-70s inland. tomorrow, a little warmer. 80s in some of the valleys and cooler and breezy for the middle part of the week.

i love that we started this hash tag out your window thing. you guys are sending in so many beautiful pictures. these look like professional photos. we have beautiful sunsets, beautiful sunrises, the water. you guys are sending in all kinds of pictures, even just your family looking out the window. so thank you for sending those in. keep them coming. we've also been posting a lot on our website as well. i would love to see #out your window. keep sending them in. >> we don't see the sunrises here. television's biggest night. a preview of the emmys, right after this. are we with a previ ♪ [ villain ] well mr. baldwin... it appears our journey has come to a delightful end. then i better use the capital one purchase eraser to redeem my venture miles for this trip. purchase eraser? it's the easy way to erase any recent travel expense. i just pick a charge, like my flight with a few taps, it's taken care of. impressive baldwin. does it work for hotels? absolutely thank goodness.

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it is a big night in hollywood tonight. the primetime emmy awards celebrate television's best. >> we can see a trail blazing win and also a little bit of controversy. >> good morning. hi, lester. hi, erica. on emmy night there's always a surprise or two. and this year should be no different. tonight the small screen's biggest stars will gather to celebrate the best in primetime television. >> i think this year's emmys will have a little bit of everything. the glamour factor on the red carpet gets bigger and bigger every year. there's going to be some dramatic moments. and we're probably going to see a lot of surprises. >> kerry washington could make

history as the first african-american to win for a lead actress in a drama series. brian cranston for his role in "breaking bad." and the cast of modern family are also expected to take home statues. but traditionally the most sentimental moment is the most controversial. the "glee" star who died of a heroin overdose. like jack klugman. and "dallas" star larry hagman, both left out of a tribute that also includes james gandolfini and stapleton. but maybe appeal to a different generation. we thought it needed to be represented. also representing sophia, a

bridesmaid but never a bride at the emmys. >> it's become a sport to predict what sophia will wear on the red carpet and how much skin she's going to show. >> fans of tv's highest paid actress are helping her fourth consecutive nomination. tonight's biggest game changer could be underdog in netflix, with 14 nominations. >> netflix received over a dozen nominations for arrested development as well as house of cards. it's a really big stepping stone for that pipeline. >> neil is back for a second time hosting. always the best. he's going to dance. elton john will be there performing, carey underwood. who are you rooting for? >> i forgot my list. >> that's right. >> it's morning, it's early. i think "breaking bad," yeah, there we go. >> i just started binge watching

it at season four. it's amazing. >> they split it up so it could be nominated for emmys. next week, last ep sgloed there you go. last sunday my husband said to me, you need to start watching this. this will be called the best show on television. >> we'll have to get together. still to come, it is still the sex and violence and video game fans are snapping up as quickly as they can. record-breaking sales for the latest edition of grand theft auto. what's the message. but first, these messages.

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you're watching "today in the bay." >> thank you for joining thus morning. 6:26 is the time looking out live early this morning over the bay. i'm garvin thomas alongside rob mayeda. >> things are looking a little better by the afternoon at least for the winds picking up out of the west. 40s and 50s to start, cooler start in the morning, and you can see the rain has moved on. we have another system that's going to move by mainly north of lake county today. so with extra sunshine, we should manage 60s to low 70s for highs for most of the bay area. 73, san jose. a bit warmer for tomorrow, and then turning cooler again, a few

clouds headed our way for the middle part of the week. >> rob, thank you very much. new this morning, a 26-year-old cal grad was among the 170 people injured after terrorists attacked an upscale mall in nairobi, kenya, and they killed 59 people. this morning there is an ongoing hostage standoff. elaine dang was injured in the mall shooting in the kenyan capital but is expected to survive. dang currently serves as the general manager for eat out kenya, a website that helps visitors and locals find the best restaurants and bars in kenya. she graduated from cal in 2009. police and military forces are still surrounding the mall. kenyan authorities said islamic extremists attackers are holding an unknown number of hostages inside. somalia's radical group al shabaab, which has ties to al qaeda, claimed responsibility.

kenyan president kenyatta spoke out about the militant attack and pledged his government would hunt down those responsible. the westgate mall attack is the single biggest since the bombing of the u.s. embassy in nairobi in 1998. in a televised address to the nation, kenyatta says kenya has defeated terrorism before and will again. >> we have overcome terrorist attacks before. in fact, we have fought courageously and defeated them within and outside our borders. we will defeat them again. terrorism in and of itself is the philosophy of cowards. >> the kenyan government says every effort is being made to prevent further loss of life during the ongoing hostage standoff. coming up at 7:00 on "today in the bay," california drivers could be in for a big treat by halloween. analysts say gas prices are expected to drop dramatically by the end of october. they say gas prices have dropped

around this time of year for the past five years, but they'll drop even more this year because of a light hurricane season, easing tensions in the middle east, and refinery fixes at home in 2013. we'll let you know just how much gas is expected to drop to in about a half an hour. that, plus all your top stories coming up at 7:00. right now, back to the "today" show.

we're back on our sunday morning, september 22, 2013. we have a great crowd on the plaza with us enjoying the last few hours of summer. today is the first day of fall, beginning at about 4:30 eastern -- >> 4:44 to be exact. thomas collude me lued me into >> enjoy the last few hours of summer everybody. we've got a lot to happen. >> we do. ahead in this next half hour, people counted wait to get their hands on "grand theft auto 5,"

breaking major sales records in the first few days out there. a lot of the people playing, as you know, are kids which is always a source for controversy. >> then we'll talk frequent flier points. people will go to amazing points to rack them up in a hurry. >> we'll introduce you to a few people who do this. they'll take a day to actual keep their status. mile raj runs. we'll clue you in on a few tips, maybe if you can't take that much time out, but things that could enhance you in the eyes of the airlines. our glasses say a lot about us. i think dapper. that's what that says. >> dapper, i like that word. >> mine just make me look nerdy. it got us thinking, how do you pick the right frame for your face? we're going to show you. >> it's very difficult. >> the one yous think will look good don't. there's a lot going on. before we get to that, a phenomenal birth story that will likely be told in one family and

many others for years to come. a woman is in labor, driving herself to the hospital and then gets in a car accident. talk about timing. paramedics rushed to the scene. her babies, because she was pregnant with twins, were not waiting. jinah kim tells us what happened then. >> reporter: their timing couldn't have been worse. expectant mother jessica stanley already in labor was on her way to a miami hospital with her family when they got into a car accident. >> i blanked out when i hit my head on the windshield. >> reporter: but their timing also couldn't have been better. a medical technician witnessed the accident. >> i saw a baby head, so i turned to look at him again. i said she's having a baby now. he said she's having twins. i said twins? >> reporter: as the mother laid lei unconscious, betty horn delivered the first baby before paramedics arrived, but he

wasn't breathing. >> i took my index finger and started sweeping the back of his mouth. >> reporter: the second baby was born minutes later at jackson south community hospital. >> every second counted. >> reporter: the twins are now safe and sound as are their three young siblings who were also in the car. >> god was with us that day. somebody was praying for us that day. i'm happy i got to bring my babies into this world. >> reporter: good samaritan horns has earned a new title. >> we asked her to be the god mom of the baby i delivered. that's how grateful i am. >> reporter: for "today," jinah kim, nbc news. here is dylan with a final check of the weather. >> good morning everyone. purple and pink seem to be ruling the day today. we're trying to squeeze in the last bits of our summer colors before we change over to fall at 4:44 to be exact.

it is not feeling like fall in some parts of the country. in the northern plains, though, it is very, very warm. we are looking at temperatures in the low to mid 80s. further east, about 15 degrees below average, 60 degrees is it for a high in pittsburgh. ithaca, new york, about 55 degrees. a little chilly behind the cold front that brought areas of heavy rain overnight. new orleans picked up just over three inches from that front. up and down the east coast it is going to turn into a gorgeous day. tomorrow is going to be gorgeous through the eastern half of the country. cooler, though, but perfect for the first full day of fall. still raining in the pacific northwest. we're seeing mostly clear skies from san bernardino mountains. our temperatures this morning as the skies have cleshd oared out

and 50s. we should see upper 60s in san francisco, a warmer finish to the weekend than we saw yesterday with all the rain. no rain in the forecast today. just some high clouds. later on temperatures climbing a little bit more heading into monday afternoon. today's top spot comes to us from my old town. boston, whdh, i miss you guys up there. the life is good festival raises more than $1 million to help one of my favorite charities for kids in need. it features tons of games, art, activities and a special performance by yo gabba gabba. we've got gorgeous signs here. i've seen signs. these are the most professional signs i've ever seen. lester and erica? >> i think those are billboards, how i would describe them. in just three days the video

game "grand theft auto 5" has pulled in more than $1 billion in sales. a highly an tis pated sequel. >> with its very violent scenes and adult schemes, should kids be playing. >> reporter: the gaming world sped into new territory this week with the latest installment of the "grand theft auto" raking in a record $1 billion. >> this is the first grand theft auto in a few years. >> the notoriously violent adventure fans can't get enough of. >> when did you get it? tuesday. >> the same day it came out. >> it's like playing a 40-hour-long crime movie, sex drugs and rock and roll, baby. >> gamers are sharing virtual high fives, tips and strategies

on youtube. >> how to start an illegal street race. >> reporter: one gaming editor played for 38 hours straight and said there are new twists along with the violence the game is known for. >> things could get really messy. >> it's a very over-the-top, very cartoonish representation of southern california and of crime and violence. >> please don't make me ruin all the great work your plastic surgeons have been doing. >> reporter: one child strolth says despite the mature 17 rating, many younger teens are playing this violent game. >> what happens is younger teens, kids get their hands on it and aren't able to decipher the messages being put out there. >> reporter: meanwhile sales are soaring, the $1 billion so far is more than the annual gross domestic product of some nations. the latest profits also blow away the top weekly box office sales. while the cost of making the game, an estimated $250 million,

is as much as a blockbuster movie. >> you should think of it as a new martin scorsese movie or the finale of "breaking bad." this is an adult experience, very adult themes. >> reporter: a cultural shift and a sign you'll likely see the next "grand theft auto" coming up fast on the road ahead. for "today," michelle franzen, nbc news new york. >> the message it sends aside, the graphics are incredible. we want to know what you're saying about "grand theft auto 5." >> thomas is in the orange room monitoring your tweets. >> a lot of 350e78 are weighing in on this. we asked you to reach us and you can see amanda is writing in, my reaction is in the wrong business. obviously making a reference to the fact that how much money hand-over-fist cash this game is making. another one, amazing and awesome in reference to "grand theft auto," really liking it. this from amanda, my reaction is

in the wrong business. maybe i already read that one. >> amanda really thinks she's in the wrong business. >> linda says shameful, disgraceful. a real collage of people having to weigh in on this. my old eyes, it's a good thing we'll have that segment on glasses coming up because i need reading glasses. i think it's time. >> i think my thought about the whole thing is, i'm in the wrong business. oh, that's been said. >> wait a minute. are you hiding under the handle amanda. >> i'm ashamed. >> we're just messing with you. >> thomas, thanks. >> let's do the glasses segment, guys. let's move itt on. >> up next werks eel teach thomas how to do -- no, we'll get to glasses. thomas how to do -- no, we'll get to glasses. we'll show you how to make the before mike could see his banking and investing accounts on one page...

before he could easily transfer funds between the two in real time... before he could even think about planning for his daughters' future... mike opened a merrill edge investment account and linked it to his bank of america bank account to help free up plenty of time for the here and now. that's the wonder of streamlined connections. that's merrill edge and bank of america. we'll take something tasty and healthy. ♪ must be the honey! ♪ there's a party going on in your cereal bowl ♪ ♪ o's can help lower cholesterol ♪ ♪ oh why does it taste so great? ♪ ♪ hey! must be the honey! people have been daring them to clean up tough messes. my fans think a paper towel can't handle this. ♪ that is tough when wet. [ peggy ] grab viva and break the rules on all your tough messes.

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♪ this morning on "today's consumer" frequent flier miles games can be confusing burks very rewarding if you

know,000,work the system. janice lieberman is here with extreme heights people will go to. >> people are so obsessed with their points and miles, they travel all over the world to get them. others have found a way to rack them up without ever leaving the comfort of their own home. >> we're raising the bar on flying. >> reporter: it's not just their good looks and service that will get you to fly their friendly skies. it's time to up the ante. >> there are more opportunities now to earn points and miles than there have ever been. >> reporter: savvy travellers know how to work the system, but anyone can get in on the action. how can you manage to go to all these places on your wish list. >> it really is a matter of understanding the options and benefits that are out there. >> reporter: just listen to howie rappaport. he'll fly for two days taking four or five connections with no intention of actually visiting his final destination. >> give me your manualic.

>> from boston to dallas, dallas to seattle and seattle to anchorage. that's got me 80 plus percent of the way to a free round trip ticket to anywhere in the united states. free upgrades, free bags, free early seating, that's not just for one flight. that's through out the entire year. >> reporter: have you ever heard of mattress running. >> a mattress runner is someone who stays at hotels just to accrue status. >> you're paying for today, but not staying. >> what are we doing here? >> checking? >> ariana became so obsessed with the chase, she left her job to blog null time for "flier talk." in a short time she has collected 1.5 million points and only slept in a handful of rooms. >> i have your platinum number on file. with arianna's elite status she

gets suite upgrades, access to club lounges, free breakfast, internet and late checkouts. >> we need to complete six different stays to get 50,000 bonus points. >> are you addicted? >> you could say that, yes. >> being loyal pays, but does all that travel make your head spin? no worries. you don't even have to board a plane. in fact the top ways to earn points right now are through credit card sign-up bonuses and daily spending. >> how many do you have? >> about that many. >> the purpose of all this? >> accumulating points and miles. >> does this destroy your cred snit. >> quite the contrary. it will improve your credit score because you pay your bills on time. >> reporter: wait, there's more. david phillips, a civil engineer, known as the godfather of points and miles purchased 12,000 pudding cubs during an airline promotion. after donating them, he walked away with more than a million miles. >> we'll upgrade you to one of

our suites. >> reporter: so we gotten free days redeemed at properties at well over $300 a night. >> 50,000 points. >> in two hours? >> yes. >> six hotels? >> yes. >> i'll see you in that heatity. >> reporter: proving anyone can earn a night or two in paradise mile by mile, point by point. >> so this makes me totally crazy because, you know, it's like free miles, free revenue, but you got to work the system and there are websites and there are blogs such as the frugal travel guy, the points guy, flier talk, they do all the work for you. they tell you the best miles on the credit cards to sign up for. they'll take you mistakes on fares. they'll tell you the best times to redeem the points. it's work, but if you keep up on it, it pays. >> my problem is i earn plenty of miles on work, i just don't want to go anywhere when it's time to take a vacation. >> i'll take your miles.

just ahead, what the type of glasses walmart asked hundreds of moms... about it's free layaway. here's what they said. paying no opening fee would help my family greatly. free layaway to me is like a piggy bank. i can do that, i can afford free. (laughs) walmart's layaway is free with no opening fee. and it's backed by ad match. get started today. walmart. backflips and cartwheels.mile? love, warmth. here, try this. mmmm, ok! ching! i like the fact that there's lots of different tastes going on. mmmm! breakfast i'm very impressed.

this is a great cereal! honey bunches of oats. i hear you crunching.

the glasses we wear actually say a lot about who we are. most people wear them out of necessity. others put them on when they're maybe going for a certain look. today's style editor bobbie thomas talked about it all with some faces that are probably very familiar to you. >> i think glasses are kind of a fun accessory. sometimes it says i'm in the mood to do something a little different. sometimes it says i couldn't get my contacts in this morning. >> i tend to go for this kind of shape. the glasses kind of project serious, ernest, i try to push the edge a little bit. >> defying anything i wore when i was little. it's the opposite of anything my mom ever forced me to wear. >> i've worn glasses since i was in first grade. these are part of me. >> i like to feel smart but kind of hip in them.

>> this was actually a little bit hipper than this. >> they're traditional, so maybe there's that. they're a little conservative but with a slight trendy edge to them. >> these are the ones i had made, and i love these. i paid out the wah zoo, but they're beautiful and they last a long time. i don't suggest that for hoda. >> my glasses say nothing about my personality because i lose things. >> whether or not you work in front of a tv camera, eyewear is not only a need, but a reflection of the sglernlt the eyes to the soul. the people that wear the little granny glasses and they think looks good, no. >> the ray bands at one point reminded me of buddy holly. somebody with a little edge and i wanted to be like that. >> i'm a little careless with my glasses. >> i would call it casual glamour. >> reporter: as we discovered at fabulous fanny's, nyc's mecca of

eyewear, not everyone wants the glamour look. >> i had a really beautiful girl come in one day and worked on wall street. she said nobody takes me seriously, i have to have a serious frame. she didn't even need eyeglasses. >> what does this pair of glasses say verses this pair. >> this is very '50s trend, the red. >> of course i loved them. >> this is more conservative, nerd-type. >> from nerdy to flirty, no matter what your style is, don't be afraid to branch out. >> try something that you don't think can work. you surprise yourself. >> i think i might need to lie on my eye test to be able to wear -- these are great. >> i love the gray. bobbie thomas is also the author of the book "the power of style." we love when you're here.

you brought a bunch of glasses for all four of us to try on. this is one of the pairs you picked for me. >> i did. i really like the shape of this one. this is a designer pair from marshon. i wanted to make sure i picked glasses from every price point, lenscrafters who has fantastic colors and options. also eye bobs, iris sort of an icon in the fashion world. she has really made a statement with her signature eyewear. >> i love those. >> my whole thing is i'm really passion not about making sure that people understand the psychology behind style which is a big part of my book, but it's really important to make sure you know how it fits. sew right here, your eyebrows should be just above the frame. the widest part of the frame should line up with the glasses. >> lester, sometimes your

eyeglasses hit your cheeks and i think they're a little birth. >> i like these. >> you say we should break out of comfort zone. >> they're kind of inexpensive compared to what they used to be, make them an accessory. >> in consider collecting pairs. >> you all look so good. i love this. >> we'll talk all of these with us. >> those a great. >> they don't hit my cheeks. >> isn't green the pantone color of the year. >> last year. >> i thought we did the segment in 2013. >> i want to thank fabulous fanny's. they were fantastic. >> right back after t these messages. i like those. thomas. [ virginia ] i do have a healthy diet, but there are foods

that i had no idea had so much acid in them. my dentist said that the acid in fruit, or fruit juice or fruit teas softens the enamel so that then it can potentially erode. once that enamel is gone, it's gone. my dentist recommended that i use pronamel to help harden that enamel so that it's not brushed away. pronamel protects your teeth from the effects of acid erosion. i don't have to cut out the things that i love in my diet. i can have the best of both worlds with pronamel. too small. too soft. too tasty. [ both laugh ] [ male announcer ] introducing progresso's new creamy alfredo soup. inspired by perfection. real fruit plus real nuts plus real multigrains equals real delicious! quaker real medleys, your on-the-go burst of goodness! quaker up.

as we promise, we want to check in with david gregory to find out what's coming up on "meet the press." >> good morning. can a government shutdown be averted. i'm joined by four key laud lawmakers. the shooting at the washington navy yard, will it change the gun control debate. wayne lapierre joins me. plus our political roundtable all coming up on "meet the press." >> don't you guys look great in your glasses? >> dapper. >> these match very well what you have on. >> i haven't felt this smart in a long time. >> you look really smart. >> i was going to say i love yours, but they are yours. >> these are mine.

>> that's going to do it for us this morning.

good morning. i'm garvin thomas. coming up on "today in the bay," we'll let you know the latest in the standoff at a shopping ball in kenya after 60 people were killed around more than 100 injured, including a wounded cal graduate. gas prices are about to take a plunge in the coming months. and weekend rain. is there any more to come? this is "today in the bay." from nbc bay area, this is "today in the bay." the time is 7:00 sunday morning. taking a look out over san francisco and the new bay bridge this morning. sun not quite up. thank you for joining us. i'm