good morning. back into the fray. american warplanes once again over iraq making a humanitarian aid to refugees. u.s. fighter jets pound islamic militants with the second round of air strikes. where does the mugs go from here? calm before the second storm. thousands in hawaii clean up after the first tropical storm in more than two decades makes land fall. now, the state is bracing for round two. will hurricane julio make a direct hit? boy versus alligator. you'd think he wasn't scared at all. >> it really amazed me what happened. >> we'll hear is amazings story

of survival. the latest person to take on the ice bucket challenge. the big question now, who will she pass the bucket to. today is saturday, august 9, 2014. announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with lester holt and erica hill. live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> good morning, welcome to "today" on a saturday morning. i'm lester holt. >> i'm erica hill alongside jenna wolfe. the latest on the ebola crisis. it's killed 1,000 people. this morning we will hear from one of the two u.s. aid workers recovering in atlanta. a girl swept away in a tsunami ten years ago is found alive and well.

how she became to be reunited with her family who thought she was gone forever. overnight, another drop of humanitarian aid. this as questions are growing about the u.s. military's involvement. jim is following all of this this morning. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, erica. this is a crisis that gets worse by the day as the u.s. military made the secondary drop of food and water. the problem is there are some 15,000 refugees. but each left provisions for one day and only for half of them. tens of thousands of yazidi refuge refugees. the air drop of tons of today and gallons of water is welcome

relief. u.s. military predicts unless isis rebels are driven from these mountains, the humanitarian air drops are all that will keep them alive. at the same time, with authorization from the president, u.s. military warplanes are striking rebel targets outside the city of erbil. two u.s. navy f-18s destroyed isis artillery. an unmanned drone hit. four f/a-18s pounded on envoy. the air strikes are aimed at protecting americans at the u.s. consulate in erbil. it will have limited effect on the isis rebels. >> we are doing empty political gesture that is won't have a significant humanitarian impact,

won't prevent genocide. >> reporter: isis seized a large swath of north and eastern iraq and ultimately a terrorist threat with the u.s. >> they can come back to western europe and the united states and attack. >> reporter: now, president obama has vowed to the american people that he will not drag the u.s. back into another ground war in iraq. but, make no mistake, these air strikes have dragged the u.s. military back into the iraq war. american warplanes could be in iraq for an unlimited time. >> jack jacobs is a u.s. military affairs and he has two purple hearts. colonel jacobs, good morning. >> good morning. >> can the u.s. protect with air

strikes alone? if not, what is the next move? >> the short answer is yes. not without a few 500-pound bombs. you saw in the report, that's not going to do anything. what they have to do is target concentrations of isis troops and their weapons and do it in a continuous way. i don't think we have the stomach for doing even that. that means erbil will be under great stress. >> could we be looking at an evacuation of erbil? >> yes. the short answer is yes. if we are unsuccessful in protecting erbil, if there's a continued evacuation of erbil by the people defending it, i think you are liable to see something awful, that is an evacuation of a large number of americans there. we have a consulate there and contractors, trainers.

they are going to have to be evacuated at some juncture. the way to avoid that is keep the pressure on isis and we don't demonstrate we have the guts to do. >> you know this better than any of us. we could see american warplanes in skies over iraq for a long time. how do you begin to draw the line of i'm hitting this target to protect the americans and this target to protect the rest of iraq? is the mission blurred and are we there for a long time? >> yes. it's possible there could be mission creep. i don't think the american public is too much concerned about mission creep if what we are using is our decision missions from american planes are not at risk. we use tomahawk missiles shot at a great distance. as long as there are no further boots on the ground, we have special operations.

as long as there are no more boots on the ground, the american public will be satisfied. they are not interested in putting regular, conventional troops on the ground. >> thank you very much. erica? >> thanks. a new threat in paradise is hurricane julio moving closer to hawaii where residents are picking up the pieces of a powerful storm iselle who made land fall on friday. we are on the big island. he is in the thick of it. it's tough to see him. good morning. >> reporter: most of hawaii dodged a bullet. several communities along the southeast shore of the big island got pummeled, turning the coast into a disaster zone. hawaii braces for julio, they are assessing the damage from iselle. the district of puna took is direct hit. along paradise drive, startling stories of survival.

>> i thank god, above all things. >> reporter: during the storm, laura torres and her 3-year-old daughter took shelter in the laundry room, buried under a pile of clothes. >> i stuffed clothes under us and let her sleep it out. >> reporter: when trees started falling around the house, the family started running for their lives. >> the trees were falling while we were running to get out of the house. >> reporter: just north in hilo, a raging torrent. in honolulu, plenty of preparation and little damage. beach goers flocking back to the beach as the department of health warned them to stay away from flood run off because it is likely contaminated. tens of thousands without power as utility crews work overtime for the foreseeable future. >> completely destroyed.

>> reporter: as sean and laura's home, neighbors came to their rescue. >> i can't thank them enough for everything they are doing. >> another hurricane on the way, so, we are not in the clear yet, that's for sure. >> reporter: while the forecast says julio will spare communities like this, many are not going chance it, moving temporarily away from the coast to higher ground. lester? >> thanks very much. let's check in with dylan. >> julio is a category 2 hurricane. the fact that it's on the tail end of what was once hurricane iselle, downgraded to a tropical storm and now no longer anything but clouds. here is julio, it is a category 2 storm with 100-mile-per-hour winds. the good news is the track of the storm. it is not going to take the same path that iselle did.

the heavier rain bands, to the south of honolulu is where the heaviest rain is. as we go through the course of the weekend, this storm is going to downgrade to a tropical storm. sunday, 8:00 a.m., look how southeast it is. it is going to rough up the surf. the outer bands with 11 to 14 inches of rain. we could see additional rain cause more flooding. it is still worth watching, however, it is not going to be a direct hit. that is good news with the double barrelled storms heading toward hawaii. erica? >> thanks. the world health organization is calling for an international response this morning to the growing ebola crisis. this, as medical officials in ontario canada confirm they have a patient being tested for ebola. gabe gutierrez is in atlanta where the two american patients are being treated. good morning. >> reporter: there are

encouraging signs from the two american patients. the largest ebola outbreak ever is raging across west africa. this morning, they may be in isolation, but they are not alone. dr. kent brantly is thanking the world for his prayers. i'm growing stronger every day and i thank god for his mercy. the other american with ebola, nancy writebol is feeling well enough to ask for starbucks coffee. >> she is doing well, but has a long way to go. >> reporter: when they visit, they see her through glass and use a cell phone to call the room. >> doctors are trying to care for her and keep her comfortable. >> one nurse inside the room and one outside the room 24/7, making sure they respond to anything. >> reporter: writebol's husband, david, is still in liberia

waiting for the incubation period to end. >> she is the best part of my life. i deeply love her and, you know, 40 years of marriage and being together, it's hard to be apart. >> reporter: the outbreak emerged in guinea and spread to sierra leone, liberia and nigeria. >> i am declaring the ebola disease a public health emergency of international concern. >> reporter: some aid organizations like doctors without borders said the worldwide response has been agonizing slow. the shortage of health care workers is dire. >> the difficulty we have today is to find the number of people who have been trained and able to set up new treatment centers in the effected country. >> reporter: here in emory, doctor brantly wrote he witnessed the horror firsthand and he remembers every face and

name. erica? >> gabe gutierrez in atlanta, thanks. hamas militants rage on this morning. there was hope a three day cease-fire would be enough to stop the fighting. after that cease-fire, the violence picked up once again. bill is live in gaza city. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, lester. planes are firing off flares. we are in a deadly and depressing situation. a second day of fighting since the end of the truce and a conflict that is now entering the second month. people on both sides of the gaza border are asking when and how on earth the conflict is going to end. the sound of war across gaza, once again. israeli air strikes by day. more than 30 overnight. five palestinians reported dead. three of them buried in the rubble of one of several mosques

hit. israel is striking hamas positions, command posts, a weapons store. civilians are also dying, once again. a 10-year-old boy, the first casualty, mourned by his inconsolable father. across the gaza border, two civilians and one soldier injured by rockets. the return of the war, the sirens and the terror is wearing people down. ashkelon is the first one hit. >> everybody is getting hurt and everything is damaged. >> reporter: the fighting forced thousands back to u.n. shelters in gaza. this school held 600 refugees. today, it's nearly 3,000. some of the children who should be at school are recovering at hospitals from terrible injuries. the same tragedy, he says, keeps repeating itself again and

again. there is little sign of peace in the rubble. what about the future? >> no future in gaza, man. no future. never going to stop. >> reporter: egypt holding peace talks is calling for a new cease-fire. israel won't talk while the rockets fly and missiles are still being fired by both sides here. that israeli warplane is circling overhead. a short time ago, 200 yards from here, the missiles strike. one bomb followed by a greater explosion. if there are signs of hope, it's that the pace of attacks on both sides is lightening and the peace talks are not declared dead, just yet. lester? >> bill, thank you. time for a look at the rest of the mornings top stories. >> jenna is here with those. a massive wildfire threatening hundreds of homes in

oregon could be brought under control today. only one home was completely lost, two others heavily damaged. the five square mile blaze should be contained this weekend. high winds made the fires volatile in the pacific northwest. a turn in the death of james brady, the former press secretary wounded in 1981 assassination attempt of president reagan died. his death is ruled a homicide. pete williams has that story. >> reporter: after conducting an autopsy, a suburban medical examiner concluded his death was a homicide. cause of death -- the gunshot wound he suffered in 1981 and medical consequences of the shooting. he was found not guilty by reason of insanity in 1982. since then, he's been undergoing medical treatment in a hospital in washington. in recent years, his family

sought and won longer visits to the family home in williamsburg, virginia. for months, a federal judge has been considering to eventually let him stay full time if the shorter visits go well. officials reached no decision about whether to take further league action because of this new finding. it's far too soon to know if it will complicate the efforts to get him longer stays away from the hospital. he is 59 years old. it's been 33 years since the shooting, the secret service follows him when he leaves the hospital. there's no statute of limitations on murder. murder charges are possible. they are long away from any decisions. pete williams, nbc washington. a one-time member of the charles manson family, bruce davis, will not be paroled. jerry brown reversed the decision to set him free.

he admitted to committing murder as a member of the cult but only a minor role in the slaughter that shocked americans in 1969. the mystery of the white flags on the brooklyn bridge may soon be solved. new york police identified four persons of interest from surveillance. they have dna evidence from the white flags raised on the bridge in the dead of night one night last month. police have not said when they will make the arrests. finally this morning, you remember when they hated his guts, ripped up his jersey and called him names and hated him more? that's all forgiven and forgotten. 30,000 fans welcomed him home. fireworks lit up the sky behind him. james promised the crowd he will never, ever go anywhere, ever again. let's keep in mind, he's only signed what comes out to a

two-year deal. he's not setting his sights too far into the future. let's wait and see what happens. >> the power of forgiveness. >> the power of fireworks. >> dylan, you have the rest of the forecast? >> so much gut hating. >> there was a lot of hating when lebron left. >> i know. we are looking at the chance of stronger storms across the united states today. we have been focusing on hawaii. we have a lot of wet weather expected across the southeast and the gulf coast. we are looking across the western area. hail and damaging wind gusts. the biggest threat this afternoon and this evening across western nebraska and kansas. northern texas could see a couple showers today. it is going to be hot in southwest texas. the temperature feels like well over 100 degrees. we have some heat good morning, 5:19 now, fog

condition, and we will see this deepen across the golden gate bridge, morning fog. elsewhere, we are looking at fog free conditions, high thin clouds overhead now. temperatures will be similar to where they were yesterday. looking at a mix of 70s and 80s inland, cool at the coast today, 60, 67 in san francisco, but, again, a lot of sun is expected. tracking showers and thunderstorms in the sunday forecast, and stay tuned for details on that coming up this morning at 7:00. and that's your latest forecast. >> dylan, thanks. still to come, what's in a name? when you hear this name and learn it belongs to a guy from apple, it gives you something to think about. fi

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for the protein packedy black forest ham and cheese. enjoy lean, sliced ham with a hint of sweetness, piled high with all your favorite veggies like green peppers and juicy tomatoes. now yours at a great price as our $3 six-inch select of august. subway. eat fresh. for the barbeque oven roasted chicken melt, now our featured footlong. with juicy chicken and monterrey cheddar, topped with tangy pickles and mmm! sweet barbecue sauce. now that's a $6 footlong special. subway. eat fresh. the top two global smartphone makers, do you know what else apple and samsung have in common?

>> jenna knows. she's in the orange room with the answer. >> i love this story. here is the deal. what happens when a guy names samsung works for apple? when he no longer works there, he auctions off his business card, uniform and landiard on ebay. this is samsung, a former special it who bears the name as the biggest competitor. mr. sung never spoke about it until he parted ways with apple. what do you do when your apple business card reads sam sung specialist? you cash in on the irony. there's six days of bidding to go and the current bid is $80,000. if you think i am mispronouncing, i'm not. i said $80,000. he's doing it for a reason. proceeds help benefit the

children's wish foundation, an organization that improves the lives of children. his name, sam sung, he works for apple. it's ironic. >> i'm waiting to hear the winning bidder is microsoft. bargain hunters have their eyes on back-to-school sales. you may be surprised what else you can get. >> we love bargains. first, these messages.

you're watching "today in the bay." good morning, your time now is 5:26, and this is a live look at the bay bridge this morning. look how gorgeous it is with the lights. hi there, i'm vicky nguyen. good morning, anthony. >> good to be with you, been awhile. >> it has. welcome back, two little ones at home. >> it's crazy these days. >> this is a break. >> i come to work for a break these days. it is looking good outside. look at the golden gate bridge, fog free as far as the eye can see. it's a different story tomorrow. we are tracking drizzle and showers in your sunday forecast. that's for the north bay and the east bay, but for today, looks

good. it'll be warm in the inland valleys, but cool at the coast. activities in san francisco, grab the jacket, only in the 60s today. the showers tomorrow, more details coming up at 7:00 this morning. >> great, thank you. those who live near the outside lands concert venue head into day two of the three-day concert. dozens of san francisco city workers will once again be out trying to keep tens of thousands of people safe and moving off fulton street mining parking tickets and parking violations. those living nearby appreciate the enforcement. >> it's frustrating because, you know, we have to wait until the meter person comes. we tolerate it, but then you have to adjust ourself to the noise going on until 10:00. >> the police say scalpers are selling fake tickets.

the department tweeted this picture of countfeits they seized and a pile of citations issued to those sneaking into the venue. bay area families looking for answers. cremated remains of those killed in the 1978 jonestown massacre were found in delaware. one remains remain mostly unidentified and discovered in an abandon funeral home in delaware. he took hundreds of followers to ghana and then killed them, and he forced them to drink cyanide-laced kool-aid. one lost 27 loved ones in the massacre and her mother. this discovery brings back painful memories. coming up this morning on "today in the bay," it could be a financial blessing, the change that may boost your credit score

and help you qualify for mortgages and loans. that and your top stories at 7:00. right now, though, back to "the today show."

back here on a saturday morning, it is august 9th, 2014. shaping up to be a lovely day here in new york. great folks on the plaza spending their day with us. looking forward to meeting them in a bit. still to come, you will hear from a 9-year-old boy who, get this, fought off a 500 pound alligator. if that isn't enough for you, wait until you hear how he tells his story, very calm, grown-up manner. >> it's kind of one sided. >> the alligator is on "meet the press" tomorrow. >> we are the press. also ahead, what do you think happens when a pittsburgh steelers player tells a fan he

will personally reply to whatever they send his way. wait and see. the time of year when a lot of folks are stocking up on school supplies. many of you may be using them. that is not all you should be buying this month. this is a good time to add a few other things to your list. >> we want to begin with the oscar pistorius murder trial. closing arguments wrapped up. the judge is expected to deliver her verdict next month. jeff rossen has more. >> reporter: there's nothing oscar pistorius can do now but wait. both sides tried to sway the judge with final pleas. >> refuse to take responsibility and place the action somewhere else. >> reporter: the prosecution launching into the closing argument that pistorius is a cold-blooded murderer that killed his model girlfriend,

reeva steenkamp, in rage. >> three shots. he used high performance ammunition, which has the effect of ripping through a body. >> reporter: pistorius says it was an accident. he mistook her as an intruder. remember the tearful testimony on the stand? they found it appalling catching him in at least 13 lies. >> more concerns were fearful of my life and trusting the court with a truthful account. >> reporter: the defense attorney fired back saying pistorius was startled by noise in the bathroom. >> you train as an athlete to react to sounds. sprinters. we all know it. you train. all those factors into account.

he stands now, with his finger ready to fire. and he stands there and -- >> reporter: then, there's his physical disability. without legs, he is more vulnerable, prone to react to danger. >> constant reminder, i do not have legs. i cannot run away. >> reporter: team pistorius all in on police misconduct saying officers contaminated the scene. >> we pointed out the discrepancy with the cell phone. the cricket bat in your statement with the names on top. in the photo, it's the other way down. >> reporter: the judge has the case. what happens now? i know it's not like a jury trial in the states. >> she summarizes all the evidence in court as well as the closing arguments and gives reasons why she finds oscar

guilty or not guilty. >> reporter: could take time? >> indeed. >> reporter: with the murder trial officially over, the judge and her two assessors now have the case. they will deliberate. they are this weekend. we learned the judge will announce the verdict on september 11th, over a month from now. she can find him guilty, guilty of pre-meditated murder, murder or culpable homicide, which we call manslaughter. we will be back here for the verdict on september 11th. jeff rossen, nbc news. dylan has a check of the weather. >> we have a birthday on the plaza. a princess birthday. you are 14 today? >> yeah. >> where are you from? >> sarasota, florida. >> you get to wear the crown all day? >> yeah. >> i would, too. in texas, temperatures in the

triple digits. it is going to feel like it is up around 105 to 110 degrees for some areas, especially dallas. because of that, we have heat advisories in effect. elsewhere, across the country, we are looking at the chance of scattered showers and storms in the southeast. it's sunny in the northeast. we could see the risk of damaging wind gusts and hail in nebraska and kansas today. the southwest is hot as well. it looks like 60s and 70s along the coast of yeah, that's right, 60s and 70s today, a few 80s inland valleys as well. good morning, anthony in the nbc bay weather center. later on today, if you're headed to outside, it's comfortable, 67 for the daytime high, and we'll see warmer air, 70s and 80s in the east bay, and south bay expects low 80s today.

showers and thunderstorms are in the forecast tomorrow. details on that coming up at 7:00 this morning. and we have a big crowd on the plaza from california. that works out great because today's top spot is monterey, california. the under water film festival from channel 8. you can learn how to shoot like the pros. there's a shootout competition that features underwater photos from the best photographers in northern california. shooting the pictures under water is hard to do. your hair is floating all over the place. if you want to learn how to do it better, check it out in monterey, california. >> glad you were worried about the hair. still to come, feeling satisfied in your career at 55. more people taking on buckets of ice water for a good cause. that includes dylan. firs you read the labels on the foods you eat -

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we are continuing our series now. this is 50. we have been talking to people facing head on, they are embracing it. this morning, we are talking about your career at 50. many are hitting career peaks in their 50s. the survey found 31% experienced a job loss at that age. half of those surveyed said they are satisfied with their work.

what can you do to find more satisfaction at work? we have a pork place strategist here. nice to have you hear this morning. >> nice to be here. >> if you want to enjoy yourself more, but need a paycheck. one thing is to fireproof your career, take on a new project. >> in your 50s, chances are you have been doing what you are doing for awhile. be an early adapter. be ready to take on projects. be the yes person. the experience you have accrued is going to buoy you in that endeavor. >> some of the advice we give to people starting out in terms of saying yes and being the go getter. you are saying dress or look the part. do i need a new wardrobe? >> as we discussed, you look fab. >> thank you. >> when you get in your 50s,

your body changes. you need to dress for that body. most importantly, you need to update every season. i'm not talking overhauls. you need to look and wear styles that are current. it shows the world, it shows everyone you are paying attention. to that end, add a few pieces every season that are on trend. the biggest mistake women make is they don't update their eyeglass frames. it might sound silly, but it's the thing people see. >> i love it. you also recommend taking control of that work/life balance. that never leaves us. how do you do that? >> actually to be your best on the job, you have to look at how work and life impact each other. you may be coming out of the phase where you are getting your job done. at 50, you see space. maybe you can commit to the small, meaningful actions and priorities to help you be best on and off the job.

commit to the walk at night with your best friend 30 minutes twice a week. commit to that online class to learn a skill. you can shut the door on a saturday afternoon for two hours and not be interrupted. try to grab those small, meaningful actions that can make a difference. nobody is going to notice but help you be your best. >> ask for a flexible schedule. that's interesting. a lot of you think you do that when you have young children. >> you may want a more formal change on how, when and where you work. maybe you want to recapture the hours you are losing to a long commute, volunteer, pursue a hobby. sit down and telework two days a week. make sure you clearly outline how you are going to get your job done well, not add more work to your boss' plate and do it 60 to 90 days. >> great advice.

nice to have you with us. thank you. >> thank you. still to come this morning, backpacks, notebooks, bed sheets, too. find out where you can get the best deals this month, after these messages. keep t♪e change. at famous footwear we're not just selling back to school shoes, we're selling straight up confidence. we've done our homework to find the hottest shoes to send your kids back in style. like our exclusive shimmer print converse high-tops. anybody sitting here? only at famous footwear. famous footwear. victory is yours. welcome to the corner of and "getting major kudos." just look at you. you're being healthy, even in little ways. that's worth celebrating. that's why walgreens created the first program that gives you rewards points just for healthy behavior.

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this morning on best time to buy, august is the perfect month to pick up new sheets and towels. consum consumer correspondent tells us. >> august is the perfect month to take advantage of linens. we can spend up to 100 hour as week sleeping. it makes sense to find the best

bedding for your buck. >> you have made your bed, now lie in it. >> there are great sales on linens. back to cool, what better way to freshen up. >> all the thread counts, colors, sizes and fillings. where do you begin? >> the thread count of sheets is a great starting point, but doesn't necessarily guarantee quality. if you want a bit of a sheen, find a sateen. if you want the tr dagsal sheet, a prevail. >> we got an inside look at what gives pillows their power. >> even our feathers have qualifications to them. they have a curl to them so they pop back. >> synthetic and hypoallergenic.

>> buyer beware. >> one of the things manufactures do is put a softener on the towel. once you take it home, the softener washes out and the texture is different. >> inspect for thick, tightly packed loops. the denser the loops the more dense your towel will be. wash them in warm water and tumble dry. try rotating several sets of sheets and towels. stop tossing and turning about what the best linens are for you. head to the store to catch the best zs for your buck. >> you want to point out some people may want to be careful about buying 100% cotton linens that are soft, but they wrinkle. if you are not into ironing, pick up something with polyester in them. >> it can take 25% more liquid

of its weight. so, feel the cotton. make sure it is heavy. it should feel heavier than it looks. it's going to be more absorbent. watch in warm water. take them out of the drier quickly. straighten them out, fold them right away. it's going to last you a lot longer. don't overload your washing machine. it's why things pill and don't last as long. the extra heat weakens it. >> by the end of the day, we are talking a material cost equation here? >> not necessarily. you can get inexpensive towel or sheet or comforter. it depends on feel. take it out of the package at the store. don't be embarrassed. seal it. if you put it next to your face, it is going to be soft. sometimes they are very, very rough, even if they are

expensive. itis not necessarily price and quality. >> nothing worse than a rough sheet. >> nothing. >> thank you very much. still ahead, the teenage mutant ninja turtles are back on the big screen. is it a family friendly movie? we are going to find out. first, this is "today" on nbc. ...we need to break up. is it the biting? cuz i can stop? no! i love you and your show. it's cable. customers are more satisfied with u-verse. switch and we can stay together forever. forever? ow. i'm not gonna lie to you. it's also the biting. break up with cable. choose u-verse tv from $19 a month for 2 years.

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great rates for great rides. geico motorcycle, see how much you could save. you're watching "today in the bay." good morning, it's 5:56, a live look at the golden gate bridge, 5 lot of activities in the bay area, including the spartan rate in at&t park. i'm vicky nguyen alongside ant le with a look at the forecast. >> whatever you have to do, it will be nice, get outside, enjoy the water, no spare the air alert or high pollen. picture-perfect weather. there are clouds in the area, but we're not expecting them to stick around. in fact, the first half of the day is clouded in at the coast, but by this afternoon, plenty of sun, and temperatures are typical this time of year, 60s, 7 s, warmer inland, low 80s, but

not unbearable. temperatures cool tomorrow, and we are tracking showers and thunderstorms. we'll have more coming up at 7:00 this morning. >> oh, thunderstorms, thank you, anthony. people who live near the outside lands concert venue in golden gate park are headed into with day two of the three-day event. city workers will be out trying to keep tens of thousands of people safe and moving off of fulton street meaning parking tickets and moving violations. those lives in the area appreciate the enforcement. >> well, getting out of the driveway is frustrating because, you know, we have to wait until a meter person comes. we tolerate it, but then, you know, you have to just ourself with all the noise that goes on until 10:00. >> san francisco police say scalpers are selling fake tickets. the department tweeted a picture of these seized and passed along a picture of a pile of citations

police issued to people trying to sneak inside sending a clear message there you will be ticketed if you don't belong. bay area families looking for answers this morning. remains of nine people killed in the 1978 jonestown massacre were found in delaware. the remains of one man's wife here in the bay area were also found. a man in antioch. the remains mostly unidentified discovered in an abandon funeral home in delaware. the cult leader from san francisco took hundreds of the followers to ghana, and several went to invest gait, he ordered the ambush to kill them and forced 9 00 followers to drink cyanide lace the cool aid, and one lost 27 loved ones in the massacre, including her mother. she says this discovery brings back painful memories. this morning on "today in the bay," it could be a financial

blessing. the change that may boost your credit score and help you qualify for mortgages and loans. that and your top stories at 7:00. right now, back to "the today show."

good saturday morning. it is august 9th, 2014. here's a look at today's top stories. back into the fray. american warplanes dropping a second round of humanitarian aid in iraq offering relief to refugees fleeing isis. and with more air strikes on militants president obama says the u.s. will protect iraqi citizens. the question where does the mission go from here. calm before the second storm. hurricane julio moving closer to hawaii this morning as residents are picking up the pieces from tropical storm iselle. will they be spared from julio's wrath? and it is boy versus alligator. a remarkable story of courage and calm. a 9-year-old boy in florida tells us how he took on a

nine-foot gator and lived to tell us about it. good saturday morning to you. welcome back to "today." >> we want to begin with the latest on the military involvement in iraq. u.s. military overnight, u.s. war planes dropped more humanitarian aid packages to the mountains where thousands of iraqis are trapped being held off by isis militants. our pentagon correspondent jim miklaszewski has more for us this morning. >> reporter: so far u.s. military war planes have launched combat air strikes against three separate air -- the isis militant targets. those air strikes took out an artillery piece, a mortar position and an entire militant convoy. now, under the rules of engagement laid out by the president, these air strikes are intended to protect americans that are inside the city of erbil, but those orders are open to wide interpretation out there on the battlefield and frankly a wide array of targets.

at the same time overnight three u.s. military cargo planes made a second air drop of humanitarian relief, food and water to refugees trapped on top of a mountain die of thirst and starvation and surrounded by those rebel forces. now, according to u.s. military officials, the problem here is that there are 15,000 of those refugees and each air drop only covers one day of provisions and only for half of them, lester. >> you say the rule of engagement is open to interpretati interpretation. has anything been laid out as to how long this operation will last? >> as of now, this is an open-ended mission. so there's no end in sight. and you know, and as far as the president going off to vacation in martha's vineyard, he's already laid out the rules of engagement, so there probably won't be any need for snap presidential decisions. that from a military standpoint. from a political standpoint,

however, lester, that's a different question. >> jim miklaszewski for us this morning, thank you. this morning hurricane julio remains a strong category 2 storm near hawaii, and that's not the kind of news residents of the islands want to hear. they're hoping for a little bit of calm this morning after tropical storm iselle on friday. jacob rascon is on the big island in puna. good morning. >> reporter: erica, good morning. most of hawaii is okay. we have crews throughout the islands and they tell us that damage is very minimal. the brunt of the storm hit where we are along the southeast coast of the big island. in the district of puna, trees and power poles toppled on to homes and cars and blocked almost every major roadway at some point. the governor of hawaii is saying the national guard will assess the full extent of the damage from the air today. this as tens of thousands of people are without power because of the downed lines. transmission lines as well that are blocked. and we're learning that they may

have utility crews working overtime for the foreseeable future. more than a foot of rain fell during the storm with gusts up to 66 miles per hour. the area of rainbow falls quickly transformed into a raging torrent. and the cleanup on the ground we've seen it's been driven by friendly neighbors. dozens out here with their personal tools removing for themselves massive trees from these homes and cars. >> jacob rascon for us this morning. thank you. dylan is tracking julio. what's the latest? >> julio is a category 2 hurricane. i just want to point out where remnants of iselle are. it is no longer a tropical storm. once it moved over the mountainous terrain. we are seeing rain with that system. but here is hurricane julio. again as a category 2 it has winds up to 100 miles per hour. it's moving to the west-northwest and looks like it will stay to the north of the big island. but that being said, here we go with a lot of heavy rain

continuing to stream in from the south. the oranges, the yellows indicate where we have our heaviest youp pours. considering that we've had 11 of 14 inches of rain, any additional rain will continue to make for some flooding concerns. now here we go, sunday at 8:00 a.m. it is well to the northeast of hilo but winds will be at 85 miles per hour. so it will cross to the north as a category 1 hurricane, then downgrade to a tropical storm. you can see this path. it is a great path to keep this storm away from the islands, although rough surf and some outer bands of rain will still be an issue. lester? >> dylan, well get your full forecast in just a few minutes. >> some of the morning's other stories. >> intense fighting overnight as the latest truce between israel and hamas collapses. israel struck down targets in gaza after a day of heavy rocket fire from militants there. no progress is reported from peace talks in egypt. hamas is demanding israel end its blockade of gaza and israel refuses to negotiate while under

fire. the world health organization is calling for an international response to the growing ebola crisis. military officials in canada now confirm they have a patient being tested for ebola. of the two americans being treated dr. kent brantly says he's growing stronger every day and nancy writebol is feeling well enough to ask for starbucks coffee. line workers in georgia are trying to restore power to thousands after a powerful storm swept through the atlanta area. torrential rain drenched the city friday. lightning struck eight workers huddled on a construction site. four were treated at a hospital. lightning also set a house on fire. downed trees knocked out power to 40,000 people at the height of the storm. bad news for tiger woods. he's out of the pga championship. could be out the rest of the season. woods struggled with back problems for the second tournament in a row and missed the cut for the final two rounds. he's not expected to play in the next pga event. and it's unclear at this time if he will be able to compete in

any more pga events this season. finally, sometimes, sometimes the biggest, bestest things come in small packages. just ask my daughter. this is from the milwaukee brewers came the other night. a foul ball heads for the seats. normal mob pushing and shoving. look who comes up with the ball. look closely. ooh, what to the what? the littlest girl in the crowd comes up with it. high fives all around as the major leaguers say, sometimes you got to let the play come to you. wait for it, wait for it, wait for it, and then hand up with the ball. so great. >> scurry around and find out where everybody is. >> so cute. i love it. so cute. >> the turning now to a story about a little boy in florida who may be one of the bravest and most well spoken weem we've ever seen. this 9-year-old is recovering this morning after a pretty terrifying alligator attack. that's what handed him in the hospital.

it's a story that he will likely be telling the rest of his life. the best part is to listen to him tell it. >> when doctors wheeled james barney out of his hospital room to describe the gator attack that left him bitten and bloody, you might have expected the 9-year-old to still be a wit startled. >> it really amazed me what happened. >> reporter: but not james, who casually and calmly, with microphone in hand, explained his escape from a nine-foot 500-pound beast. >> i immediately reacted and hit it a couple times, so then it was letting go a little. >> reporter: james even punched at the alligator while his frantic friends called 911. >> where's the emergency? >> hi, um my friend got bit by an alligator. >> as for how james got away -- >> then finally i had enough strength left to pry its jaw open a little. then it finally let go of me and i swam to shore while yelling

help. >> reporter: finally he made it to the hospital. and even after doctors yanked a gator tooth out of his body he showed poise under pressure. >> we see lots of kids who are injured. i think he's probably one of the bravest and most polite kids we've ever met. >> reporter: will he head back to the off limits swimming hole for another dip? >> negative. >> reporter: well said. for "today" halley jackson. >> he probably handled it better than a lot of adults in that situation. we were talking about this in our meeting yesterday. a lot of people are saying that he reminded them of this young man, you may remember, who also made the news recently. 5-year-old noah ritter, the pennsylvania boy who shot to video fame for his use of apparently at a local fair. the two, it turns out, also look alike a little bit. there you go. those are the young men who will be taking over the world and

we'll all be working for them pretty soon. >> taking over our jobs. we'll be on that side of the glass. now a remarkable story of hope and faith. a little girl thought to have been swept away in the indian ocean tsunami. back in the arms of her family this morning we have more on this amazing reunion. good morning. >> hey, lester, you know, if you're a parent, you don't even want to think about it, let alone live through it. losing your child, searching for months, wondering for years whether she was alive. then suddenly she's standing there right in front of you. it was the day after christmas ten years ago. a tsunami washed a quarter of a million people out to sea. villages erased, children gone. jamilla thought her son and daughter were lost forever that day. then something unimaginably

wonderful happened. god has given us a miracle, she says. that's her daughter jana alive and well ten years later back by her side. she was 4 when the wave hit. her father put her and her brother on a wooden board, but they drifted away. swept from their village and out to sea. jana was saved by a fisherman on a remote island. he brought her home and his elderly mother raised her. for ten years she was just 60 miles away from her own mom. thousands of families gave up the search long ago, but this summer jana's uncle spotted her, thought she looked like family and sent jamilla to see for herself. "it's a mother's instinct" she says. "when i saw her, i knew she was the one". jana still remembers the day of the tsunami, clinging to the debris, talking to her brother. people came to help, she says. and the next thing i knew i was

on land but my brother was still on the board. it's enough to give jamilla hope that she'll live not to see just one miracle, but a second, her son. the family has renewed their search for him. for those who think this is all too good to be true, they said they're willing to take dna tests to prove jana belongs with them. >> kelly kobe yea ya, thanks. dylan is back with a check of the forecast. >> we have two lovely ladies here from virginia. there's a special virginian you want to say hello to this morning. >> hello, thinking of you. >> good morning, virginia, i had, nanny, good to see you. >> that's your grandmother, right? let's everyone say hi to virginia. hi, virginia! in virginia we'll see pretty decent weather. we're looking at some scattered showers a little further along southern virginia and into the carolinas, but in the northeast we are looking for low humidity, temperatures in the 80s.

a slight risk of strong storms today in nebraska and kansas. also across eastern colorado. the biggest threat for large hail and damaging winds. we'll see scattered showers and storms, hot with heat advisories in effect for dallas today. it will feel like it's above 105. so it will be a scorcher. good morning, waking up to cloud cover, especially in our coast tallow kagss this morning, elsewhere, good weekend headed our way. in fact, not too much fog at the bridge, but low clouds are in place and down towards the south bay, seeing the first look at the sunrise. you notice the temperatures, though, this morning, uniform, upper 50s. later on this afternoon, temperatures similar to yesterday. 70s and 8 0s inland. will be a little chilly at the coastline. grab the jacket, sf only expecting mid-60s today. is your latest forecast. lester? >> dylan, thanks. still to come, we'll tell you how one request to fans has

completely swamped a small post office. right after these messages. on august 4th, two unsuspecting men walked in to a mcdonald's and discovered an extraordinary burger with heaps of jalapeños... ...for only two dollars. within minutes, they had also discovered the phenomenon of

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free data for life, only at walmart. for professional athletes, signing autographs is more or less part of the job. one pittsburgh steelers player is going above and beyond. he's going to sign everything that comes his way. he's not the only one putting in overtime because of it. we have the story. >> on the campus of vincent

college, the game is on. not just for the pittsburgh steelers holding their training camp there. at this tiny college post office, it's an all-out blitz. >> it was like, oh, no, the one work study had a look on her face like in disbelief. i was like how are we going to get this done? >> the super bowl of mail. all addressed to steelers wide receiver, antonio brown after this pledge on facebook. if i don't get a chance to sign something for you at camp, send it to me. he listed the dorm room where he's staying. >> we have heard his room is filled to capacity. >> within days, the packages started pouring in. this is a student assistant and one of three people working when the flood gates opened. >> gelting hundreds of packages for antonio brown on a monday

morning is like an 8:00 a.m. class. >> reporter: brown posted a thank you on facebook. he says he loves all the positive energy and vowed to open and respond to every request. the post office has a vow of its own. >> whatever comes in, we are going to handle. >> reporter: he admits, the "today" show may have changed the game. >> after this interview, he's going to get more and more mail. >> reporter: from a tiny post office that really stepped up its game. >> for "today," nbc news, new york. what do helen mir an and michelangelo have in common? they will both take over the box office. we'll look at the films out and if they are worth your time. first, this is "today" on nbc. ♪

♪ [ barks ] whoo! mmm! ♪ ♪ oh, yeah [ whistling ] [ male announcer ] discover your new orleans. start exploring at followyournola.com. [ woman ] and i love new orleans! it's no secret that lester's other passion besides the news

is music. this week, hopefully you caught it. if not, you are in luck. his special musical guests with jimmy fallon. ♪ >> that is nbc news anchor, lester holt, sitting in on the roots tonight. >> yeah. >> he's the coolest man on the planet. >> come on. i said, for one hour in my life, at my age, i felt cool, then i went back to me. >> you were really excited. i heard you practicing all morning in your office. >> some said love your banjo playing. thank you very much for that. >> i forgot that part of the story. >> were you nervous?

>> i was totally nervous. i'm an amateur. i taught myself when i was a kid. you go in and the rehearsal is only an hour. okay -- i'm like wait a minute, hold on. the whole time, i'm like am i going to be able to keep up? they are talking and playing the music in your ear -- >> while you're playing? >> when he's doing the mono, you are hearing the next song. >> wasn't it distracting? >> no, it was helpful. there was a few passages i wasn't ready for and he took over. >> you naturally have an ear for music. you didn't have music in front of you. is it hard to pick up and play? >> we do it by memory. we are going to this song in b, then f. d and g here. >> just out of curiosity, what is the next thing on your to-do

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the store of your past is now the store of your future. come see one of our remodeled stores and get a free portable power charger with a $15 purchase. zblmpblts you're watching "today in the bay." it's 6:26, wow, a foggy look at oakland, but assured by the weatherman this sky will clear and get sun today. good morning, i'm vicky nguyen, and here he is, the weatherman standing by with the weekend forecast. >> it's funny when they refer to my by the twitter handle. >> did i do that? oh, gosh, that's funny. >> live in the world of twitter and facebook. >> i know. in your mind before you know it. >> the fog is building in oakland and most of the coastal cities and san francisco right now, low clouds are starting to hug up against the golden gate bridge, and south bay, hazy

start, but some sun. whatever you have to do outside will be very nice. 70s and 80s inland, cool at the coastline, and san francisco will be in the mid-60s. we are talking about the threat of thunderstorms for the forecast tomorrow evening into monday. we're going to talk all about that this morning at 7:00. >> big changes coming. >> yes. >> all right, thank you so much, anthony. well, he should have kept the hands on the dog's leash. officers are searching for a walker who groped a woman near the stanford campus. according to the place, the suspect was walking a dog, started chatting with a woman last night near the shopping center. officers say he spoke and walked with her for several block, and the woman became uncomfortable, and the suspect groped her on the outer part of the clothing. his pit bull ran away when the woman got her cell phone out to call the police. found dead in the stairwell after disappearing from the

hospital room, and now the family is suing the city. the lawsuit was expected back in march. there was a wrongful death claim that often leads to lawsuit. the claim blames the city-run hospital and san francisco sheriff's department for lynn's death. authorities found the body on object 8th of last year after she was dead for several days and missing for 17 days. spalding was in the hospital for treatment of a bladder and blood infection and mental confusion. a traffic alert maintenance work has one closed this morning. workers are realigning lanes and smoothing the left most tunnel in the eastbound direction. they will be working until noon today. cal trans say there could be delays of 5 to 20 minutes. plan that into trips you are taking on the east bay. overnight closures continue through monday morning. this morning on "today in the bay," could be a financial blessing, the change that may

boost your credit score and help you qualify for mortgages and loans. that story, plus all your top stories and weather with anthony coming up at 7:00. right now, heading back out to "the today show."

>> the 50 club. >> celebrating 17 years anniversary on the "today" show. >> hi, jenna. >> hi, jillian, look at mom and dad. >> it's my 14th birthday. >> happy birthday. >> i don't think you are ready. >> what's up north carolina? >> we're back on this saturday morning, august 9, 2014 on rockefeller plaza with a great summer crowd. another gorgeous day. i want to thank everybody for stopping by. if you are ever in the neighborhood, 49th street, come

on by. still to come in this half hour, you have probably seen people doing this willingly, gladly, dropping ice cold water over their heads. matt lauer did it recently. a lot of people are joining in as well. they are doing it for a good cause. dylan is the latest to join in. she's going to pass the bucket, literally and figuratively. >> you are a giver. you are a giver. >> they are my closest friends. physically closest to you. >> are they friends you want to keep for awhile. >> for a little while. >> it's not that cold. >> sure it's not. >> not that cold. water and ice. >> it's actually really refreshing. >> ahead this morning, everything you need to know if you are planning an outing at the movies this weekend. we have advice about what to see, whether you are going out with the kids to the movie or maybe making it a date night. >> also, we are going to

introduce dwrou a teenager with 1.5 million followers on instagram because of these. the hilarious recreation of celebrity photos. >> this morning, he's showing off the latest exclusively on "today." first, dylan who hardly knows me has a final check of the weather. >> come on, my closest friends here. >> we are looking at a nice morning for an ice bath, i think. in the 80s. a lot of sunshine. nice and dry. southeast, scattered showers and storms. the best chance of storms across western nebraska and kansas. eastern colorado as well. we should see stronger storms and tomorrow, still unsettled across the southeast. it remains hot through texas. today, keep in mind we have heat advisories for dallas. it is going to stay hot tomorrow. scatters showers and storms good morning, 6:32 the time now, making plans to get out to

enjoy the jazz fes value, temperatures nice, today and tomorrow, a lot of sun in the south bay, however, a different story if you are headed to the coastline. it will be chilly, only in the 60s today. san francisco only getting up to 6 77 degrees. you need a light jacket, otherwise, comfortable conditions today, and tomorrow, we have a chance of showers and thunderstorms. we'll talk about that coming up this morning at 7:00. that's the latest forecast. >> thanks. you might want to cozy up to lester as you tell us about the next story and the ice bucket challenge, which you took yesterday. >> i did take it yesterday. i will pass on the dare to a former co-worker. a co-worker e-mailed me and i couldn't say no. this is all for a very good cause. >> it's been raining buckets lately. >> oh! >> ahh! >> buckets of ice and water. more than 200 people doused friday in boston all to raise

awarens about als or lieu gehrig's disease. it's thought to have started when the head basketball coach wanted to honor a friend who died of breast cancer and raising awareness about the cause. there's other charities joining in. matt lauer did it, martha stewart and more. it's your turn to call out three others. >> my sister. >> jimmy fallon. >> 24 hours to discuss the challenge. in boston, a former college baseball star, who himself is battling als challenged some of the cities sporting greats. >> he is unbelievable. he told us the night he was diagnosed there would be no

wining and we would use this as an opportunity. an old colleague of mine got into the game. >> an old friend of mine, dylan drier. >> got my duct and my ice. it's go time. jeremy, i accept your als ice bucket challenge. i never turn down a challenge, especially when it's raising awareness for als. it looks like a small bucket, but it is filled to the top with icy cold water. oh! oh, my gosh. it's ice cold water. >> it is so cold. if we are playing by the rules, i get to challenge three other people to the ice bucket challenge. so, it's already with three other people. erica, jenna, lester? i now challenge you to the ice

bucket challenge. do you accept? you can think about it or we have a bucket here. >> right now. >> i accept, but not this second. >> the show is over in 25 minutes. >> maybe sometime in the next 25 minutes. >> okay. >> yeah. i'm game. >> a lot of people who do the ice bucket, there's concern if everybody is doing it, nobody is donating. a lot of people who take the challenge also donate. >> i'll donate. >> okay, and you'll take the ice water. >> right? >> right? right america? you are the witness. >> that's all coming up. we are looking forward to it. awesome dylan, great to have it out there. just ahead, a little something for everyone at the box office this weekend. which one may be best

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this morning in "today's" weekend movie ticket, what do dead lie cyclones, and restaurants have in common, they are the subject of theaters hitting the box office. >> which is right for you? we'll get to that in a minute. first, here is a closer look at the three. >> in this restaurant, the cuisine is not tired. it is a passionate affair. >> based on the best selling novel of the same name, there's no shortage of star power when it comes to the 100 foot journey, starring helen mirren, produced by oprah winfrey. feudi feuding restaurants in france. on one side of the street, the indian restaurant. the other, a celebrated french eatery. stirring things up in this film, a blossoming romance, clashing

cultures and cuisines. from extreme cooking wars to nature's extreme, "into the storm" goes into the eye of twisters reeking havoc on a community. through the lens of film chasers, what happens to towns at the mercy of mother nature. it looks at how far some will go to get that once in a lifetime shot. then, there's the reboot of a 1980s classic with the help of state of the art teenage mutant ninja turtles are back bringing them back to a new generation of fans. >> let's go! >> in this reboot an evil foot plan to take down new york city. with the help of a fearless reporter, they tried to save the city. >> let's rock and roll, boys. >> for "today," new york. >> a little help in figuring out

what one may be best for you, scott vance, kerry riley, jeff knight, nice to have you all with us. >> good morning. >> we are going to kick this off with you. the 100 foot journey with helen, looks fantastic. she thinks it's a great date night movie. what do you think? >> yeah. it is. maybe not -- well, you know, you have to be careful. on the first date, there are an awful lot of uncomfortable sex scenes in this movie. none of them involves people. oprah winfrey and stephen spielburg have an unhealthy relationship with food. there is a lot of food important in this movie. that's the only thing to be wary of. >> charming. it's delightful. a little overcooked. >> oh. >> i think it was overcooked.

it was almost perfect. but i left almost five pounds heavier. >> you have to eat before the movie. >> all right. switching gears "into the storm" this one seems to be going for a younger audience. just seeing the trailers, it blows you away with special effects. >> it is for teenagers, takes place in a high school. this movie is a ride. very con tribed, propostrouse, too serious, unintentionally funny. it's fun. the special effects are great. >> if i use the term, say "sharknado," am i close? >> "sharknado" meets twister. special effects are great. >> i was a nervous wreck after. i was like is there a tornado? where is it coming from. i thought it was nervenerve-rac. >> i thought it was exciting.

it made me root for tornadoes. >> you kind of want the tornado -- >> would you bring a child to a movie like this? >> no. it's for teenagers. takes place in high school. >> that is not for kids. teenage mutant ninja turtles. look how excited you are. there's a huge resurgence. it's pg-13. >> i brought my two 6-year-olds and an 8-year-old. they were nervous. let me tell you, it's eye candy for moms. the turtles are tall, green, and hot. >> eye candy for men, megan fox. this is fun. it's action packed. it's a good thing they love pizza. the humor in this movie is extra cheesy. >> good thing yours isn't. >> it's not. >> you are a movie man. what is coming up in the next several weeks? >> daniel radcliff, the former

harry potter star. his first time playing romantic leading man. the movie is "what if." it should have been called "who knew." >> oooh. >> he's got a man crush on harry potter. >> thank you for coming on. awesome. still to come, we are moments away from taking on dylan's ice bucket challenge. it says up here, can't wait for that one. >> you are not going to read that line? >> i can wait. that's what the script said, anyway. wow, can't wait for that one. >> it's happening no matter what. >> and this guy. >> this guy, the story behind the photos, they are celebrity recreations. the teenager behind them has just blown people away on instagram. his story and his latest transformation exclusively here.

back now on a saturday morning. one teen is living up to the definition of popular. >> he has more than 1.5 million followers on instagram because of these pictures. hilarious celebrity impersonations have gone viral. in a few minutes, we will unveil his new photo. first, we are introduced to this young instastar. >> how many followers now? >> 1.6 million. >> that is nearly as many as half the population of new zeala zealand. >> i know, it's crazy. >> he's the wave rider. an instagram megastar thanks to his skill add a dobl ganger. he's a stunt double for the hottest celebrities, a tailor

made taylor swift. kim kardashian. >> that was my favorite. >> he walks like an egyptian, katy perry. his complicated creations are done on a shoe string with the help of his mom. >> he gets the idea and tells me what we need and we go out and look for the stuff in the $2 shop. >> when he morphed into miley, he used the pasta his mom intended to serve for supper. he says a few people don't get it. >> go kill yourself. cut yourself. >> reporter: he posted an anti-bullying video. the overwhelming response is positive. when he reached 1 million followers in march -- >> we are going to go bungee jumping with liam, a.k.a.

waverunner. >> reporter: he celebrated in a waverider way. now he's surfing onward and upward. we went with him to purchase supplies for his latest top secret assignment to be revealed on "today." >> it might come in handy, too. >> a wand and a blond wig. >> back home, time to get to work. this is where the magic happens. >> this is an exclusive here. >> reporter: waverider's mom is a co-conspirator. his grandmother helps too. >> with a lot of safety pins, project x is nearly finished. >> i'm a good looking princess. >> he hopes his favorite star are see his creation and one day he'll see her in hollywood. sr. "today," sarah james, nbc news, new zealand. >> jenna is in the news room

with a look at the newest creation. i have no idea. >> i love that his mom helps him out so much and is supportive. we are excited to unveil the top impersonation today. i could show it to you. we are going to play a game of guess the impersonation. there are only 500 million celebrities. this shouldn't take long. let's start. blake lively, angelina, pamela anderson, ellen degeneres. the sus spence is killing you. ready? drum roll. here we go. the next impersonation will be, i don't know myself. ellen degeneres. look at that. this one. i think this one. we're going to find out. you have it right here, first time on the "today" show. who do you think liam should impersonate next? lester? should it be you? >> kim kardashian. >> i said lester, it should be lester. >> oh, should be me.

>> we thought you were asking him. not challenging him. >> it would be easy to impersonate me. >> speaking of challenges, who is ready? this guy is. the ice bucket challenge happening on our plaza. this guy first roamed the earth over 65 million years ago. like our van. yeah. we need to sell it. hi. need an appraisal? yeah. we do. vo: when selling your car, start with a written offer, no strings attached. carmax. start here. [ male announcer ] tim and richard smucker have always loved the taste of just-picked fruit. so it's no wonder why today smucker's makes the world's best jam. found ya! you always find me. you always hide here. [ male announcer ] with a name like smucker's, it has to be good.

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it's next to a park. [ man ] i love it. i love it, too. here's your new house. ♪ daddy! [ male announcer ] you're not just looking for a house. you're looking for a place for your life to happen. zillow. and we are back on this saturday morning. some of my co-hosts here and very dear friends are about to get very wet. >> i used to love you so much. >> you'll love me another five seconds. a few minutes ago, i showed you how i took a challenge. i challenged erica, lester and jenna. we pulled lucky fans. clearly, you can see who they are going to dump the bucket of water on. are you ready? >> no! >> no, no, no, i want to think about it more. >> you are done. >> one, two -- >> i'm seriously not ready.

>> three. >> do it. >> okay. thanks. >> you are not sorry. >> it was worse. >> still hurts. >> that was really cold. >> i would like to say thank you to debby for the waterproof mascara. >> thank you. >> what was with the slow pour? >> the ice bucket challenge. now, guys, you have to pick three people you are going to challenge next. >> okay. >> i'll go first. >> we have one of the same picks. erica and i -- i am frozen. we both picked darlene, our boss.

>> yes. my number two is my darling, stephanie gosk that laughs at the pain i go through and my new bff, gavin mcgraw who i will now put to this challenge. >> i love it. fantastic. >> i'm not challenging anyone, but i'm going to give to als. >> perfect. i challenge didi as jenna did. >> why do you think we challenged here. along with my dear friend thomas roberts and my cousin dana. there you go, guys. you have 24 hours. >> i wouldn't put anybody through this. a very good choice. >> it's not that bad. it's worse. >> thank you guys for participating. >> thank you, dylan. >> happy we did something great. it's a great cause. >> you can donate to my local cleaners. >> the great part is we'll see

you tomorrow. maybe, just maybe there will be more water pouring, live on the plaza. >> good morning, i'm vicky nguyen. coming up next on "today in the bay," it was not the experience outside land festival goers wantedwant ed to have. why some were fined as high as $279. the images haunting, a discovery made 35 years after the massacre could change this pastor's life. qualifying for mortgages made easier. the change that may boost your credit score.

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with one exception... introducing the mercedes-benz b-class. it's electric! it's electric! the first electric vehicle from mercedes-benz. from nbc bay area, this is "today in the bay." good saturday morning to you. that's a live look at the golden gate bridge as anthony slaughter was saying earlier, hugged by fog. i like that personification. good morning. thank you so much for joining us. i'm vicky nguyen, and we have a look at the microclimate forecast. >> thank you. we are waking up to hugs by fog. a little bit of fog and drizzle

even at the coastline, but if you have plans in san francisco today, golden gate park is full of sun later on, 67 degrees for the high there, and tomorrow, cooler, more cloud cover, and even in the south bay, a lot of sun today and tomorrow, and microclimates are in full effect. the rest of the regions, and you'll notice a good mix of sun and clouds today, temperatures very close to average, vicki, and, in fact, the warmest locations are inland valleys, south bay, north bay, and east bay, but interbay, a lot of sun, comfortable after 11:00, and tomorrow, thunderstorms. we'll talk about if your neighborhood is in the risk of showers and storms. >> i got to say there's no better harboring of rain than six months after i wash the car, always happens to me. thank you, see you in a bit. the weather will continue to be nice for events across the bay area