>> and the sunrise at 7:00. >> yeah. >> the rain, too. we'll see you in 25 minutes. >> have a great morning. the draw down of u.s. troops from afghanistan. the white house announcing it will keep five times more troops than originally planned. too soon? oscar pistorius set to be released from prison on parole, just a year after being imprisoned for killing his girl friend. and lamar odom clings to life after being found unconscious in a nevada brothel.

we'll have the latest on his condition. and more to the story? she was vilified as the worst aunt ever after suing her nephew for breaking her wrist. >> it's an outrage, it's a shame, it's a disgrace. >> but did we all jump to conclusions too quickly? she tells her side of the story here in an exclusive live interview here on thursday, october 15, 2015. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is matt lauer with savannah guthrie. >> good morning, everybody. welcome to "today." it's 7 a.m. on the west coast. this is a story that got a lot of headline, none flattering. the more you learn about jennifer connell, people will start to see a different side of the story. >> the tabloids were not kind after hearing the story. full disclosure, we probably

weren't all that kind yesterday either. it will be interesting to hear what she has to say. >> and she's here with her nephew. >> our top stories, president obama set to announce he's going to keep a much larger than expected force in afghanistan beyond the end of next year. jim miklaszewski has the latest. what's behind this? >> reporter: the president's call is a reflection of the new reality on the ground. there are currently 9,800 u.s. troops in afghanistan. the president wanted to bring that number down to 1,000 at the end of next year but because of the increased threat from the taliban, al qaeda and now even isis terrorists, the president has agreed to keep some 5,500 u.s. forces in afghanistan to work with the afghan military

and conduct counterterrorism operations. the fact is that the afghan military is not yet ready to take on this fight without u.s. help. and in fact, that point was dramatically made just a few weeks ago when the taliban launched an attack in afghanistan. >> u.s. military forces on the ground and in the air say they followed the rules of strict engagement. they questioned whether they had the authority to do that and in fact thought that it may be

illegal but they launched the attack anyway. >> jim miklaszewski, as always, thank you very much. >> and homeland security officials are trying to find out why the system that checks airline passengers against a terror watch list failed last night causing big delays at some of the busiest airports. pete williams is following this story. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. the system was used to check passenger names not only against the terror watch list but other law enforcement databases. they say it was down for over an hour wednesday night because of the technical failure. that slowed down the process of checking passengers arriving in the u.s. on flights overseas. officers from customs and border protection didn't stop the lines but they had to use paperless and other procedures which took much longer. officials say the computer system was down for about an hour and a half but when it came back up, lines at some airports

had grown considerably and many annoyed passengers vented their frustration on social media. the failure was detected just before wednesday night, it was in a main frame computer and department of homeland security officials say there was no sign of hacking, just a technical problem. >> thank you very much. >> meantime, is the republican candidate for president, donald trump, making more waves on that democratic debate that was held a couple of nights ago and right now we're going to go to nbc's christian welker, who is at the white house with more on the race for the white house. >> reporter: matt, good morning. supporters of vice president biden are still waiting for any signal about whether he's going to get into this race. some say if he were leaning toward yes, there should be some signs. instead it seems to be business as usual for biden. if vice president biden is going to run for president, he's still not letting on. after skipping the first

democratic debate, biden had a typical day at the white house, lunch with the president and a round table discuss where he ignored questions about his future plans, instead praising the debaters. >> i was proud. i thought they all did well. >> reporter: biden's silence, in stark contrast to hillary clinton, trying to capitalize on her dominate debate performance. is she hoping biden doesn't get in? >> i'm not hoping anything about that. i really admire and respect the vice president. he's been a friend and colleague for a long time. >> vice president biden wants to enter and compete for the presidency, it's time he make that decision. >> reporter: sources close to the vice president say a decision is coming soon. a deciding factor may be on whether biden thinks he can win. >> there has to be a consensus within the democratic party that

she can't win a general election in order for biden to enter the race comfortably. that doesn't exist today. >> reporter: still, some of biden's supporters aren't giving up. >> i'm very confident that if he decides to get in, there would not only be the money but staff to compete in the united states. >> reporter: one source says he'll announce his decision in a week to ten days. by all accounts he has another typical day at the white house while hillary clinton is courting latino workers in nevada. >> the front-runner, donald trump, is talking all things politics and maybe changing his tone a little bit. katy tur sat down with him. >> all signs show donald trump may be changing his tone as his daughter, ivanka, speaks out for

the first time about his campaign. >> the poor woman, she's got to give everything away because this maniac that was standing on her right is giving everything away so she's following. >> reporter: trump is boasting big leads in south carolina and nevada but polls show ben carson is closing the gap. why do you think he's doing so well? >> i don't know. he's a nice person. i don't know why he's doing so well. he certainly seems to be resonating. >> reporter: for a candidate not known for second guessing himself, he does admit -- >> i think i can be perhaps a little bit -- i can watch my words a little bit, maybe be a little bit more politically correct. >> reporter: but at a fortune magazine forum, his daughter ivanka says his candor is a good thing.

>> he's really changing the dialogue, and he's really disrupting the process in a very positive way. so i'm incredibly proud of him. >> reporter: later on cnn, ivanka seemed to echo her father as the campaign tries to woo female voters. >> he'd be amazing for women in this country. i'll leave policy to him but i can speak from my vantage point as a child and also from my vantage point as a colleague and somebody who works for him. >> reporter: all this as trump prepares for his second stint hosting "saturday night live" in three weeks. >> reporter: ready for us now? >> i'm ready. it's going to be great. any impressions under your belt? what about web? >> i don't want to be wise. i was going to fall asleep on the chair but i don't want to do that. >> reporter: can you see he is very much still donald trump but what was so fascinating was how measured he was, especially when it came to ben carson, who has

been the nice guy in this race. he can't attack him, can't insult him. that's not going to win over ben carson's voters when he eventually needs them to win the primaries. >> i watched some of that interview with ivanka. have you surprised he hasn't used her more on the cam tan trail? >> i asked him that, when are we going to see her and he said soon, soon, soon. >> she's a busy working woman herself. >> and she pregnant. >> all right, katy, thanks so much. your town hall with donald trump october 26th right here on "today" in new hampshire. >> we look forward to that. meanwhile there's breaking news this morning. announcement that olympic sprinter oscar pistorius will be released from prison on bailn k next week, just a year after he

was convicted of killing his girl friend reeva steenkamp. >> now this overnight announcement from the parole board, pistorius will walk out of prison on tuesday, four years early. he'll be placed on house arrest. as you can imagine, reaction is pouring in. it is one of the most notorious prisons in the world known for violence and gangs and its most famous inmate, oscar pistorius in is round two of release for pistorius. he was set to walk out of prisons months ago but at the last minute, a protest by the justice minister kept him behind bars. but now the parole board has made its final ruling overnight. pistorius will be released next week. >> this is a decision that could shock many around the world but is not uncommon on south africa. on a five-year sentence, he'll have sferved less than a year. he'll go to house arrest but it's far better than being stuck

in a prison. >> reporter: during his trial, he was emotional. >> i did not fire at reeva. >> reporter: convicted of manslaughter for shooting and killing his model girl friend reeva steenkamp. >> you killed her, shot and killed her. won't you take responsibility for that. >> reporter: reeva's mother spoke to me. >> she lost her life, how wonderful she was and what she could have done for other women if she had had longer to live. >> reporter: this morning the steenkamp's lawyer releasing a statement saying they don't feel any different, nothing has changed in their lives. reeva is not coming back. it doesn't really matter to them what happens to oscar pistorius. when pistorius is released on tuesday, it is believed he will live with his uncle arnold inside his uncle as luxury mansion just a few miles away from the prison. the exact conditions of his

house arrest still unclear. we'll stay on top of this. this will be a spectacle in south africa when he's released. >> as the entire case has been a expect call. >> natalie has big news for people collecting social security. >> millions of americans will not be getting a raise next year. the government announced there will be no cost of living increase for recipients because of falling gas prices. it's just the third time in 40 years the benefits won't go pup the decision affects 70 million people, more than one-fifth of the nation's population. >> israel is defending its use of deadly force to combat a wave of attacks by palestinians armed with knives. you see a young man sprinting past a security check point with a knife in his hand. he was shot to death by police. israel's military is deploying troops in cities across the country. the escalating violence has

claimed at least seven israeli and 32 palestinian lives. that includes ten attackers. the white house says it has deep concerns and condemns the loss of any loss of life on either side. >> an investigation comes after lawmakers question the use of insider information by web site employees. draft kings and fan duel have acknowledged their employees have played and won significant money on each other's sites. both sites have recently banned employees from participating. com cast and nbc sports have invested into fan duel. >> a dash board camera captured a crash east of los angeles. can you see this truck swerve into the middle lean and then back into the right lane where it then hits a car.

the truck then flips over and flies over the en bancment. it landed in a car dealership. one witness apparently believes that road rage maybe was to blame. the driver of the truck was taken to the hospital with serious injury. >> now to the baseball playoff action and the toronto blue jays moving on to the american league championship series after within of the wildest innings in playoff history. blue jays taking on the texas rangers. let's start at the top of seventh inning. the game is tied at two. blue jays catcher russell martin tries to throw the ball back to the pitcher but it hits the bat of shin-soo choo and bonss away. another ranger comes in to core and takes the lead. the game was delayed while the umpires sorted it all out. bottom of the seventh, the rangs are made three straight errors loading the bases and eventually

that led to this, jose bautista, with that moon shot, home run into the second deck of the stadium. the blue jays take a 6-3 lead. they held on to win it. the kansas city royals also advance to the alcs by beating the houston astros 7-2. and of course tonight, big game tonight, gave five, dodges are and the mets. >> as a fan, i'd have to be pretty mad to throw my own beer on to the field. >> a crazy game. al is in new orleans this morning. mr. roker. >> hey, guys. we're at the national world war ii museum. we'll tell you more about that coming up. but there's rain in los angeles. why? we've got a big upper level low. we're also looking at a very strong el nino and there's a lot of hope that is going to bring a lot of rain to much of california and break that drought. in fact, there's major rain during an el nino can start in october and november. in 1997 the el nino there twice the av we thought we'd be ready.

but demand for our cocktail bitters was huge. i could feel our deadlines racing towards us. we didn't need a loan. we needed short-term funding. fast. our amex helped us fill the orders. just like that. you can't predict it, but you can be ready. another step on the journey. will you be ready when growth presents itself. realize your buying power at open.com. . . good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. we had rain early early this morning. now taking a break. we could see showers through the morning and afternoon. otherwise, partly cloudy and highs cooler today. about average for this time of year. up to 73 degrees in san francisco. 80 in the east bay. the peninsula, a high of 78 degrees. the tri-valley at 86. 83 in the north bay.

>> and that's and that's your latest weather. guys, i know you always thank me for the weather. no thanks, i already got my tanks. >> oh, al! >> you went a long way. >> traveling all the way to new orleans for that one, al. >> i did, i did. it was worth the trip! >> if you were starting to think about your holiday shopping already, you might want to hold off. this is in contradiction to what we told you yesterday. a price war could be on the horizon between the nation's biggest retailers. good morning, tom. >> i like that. walmart feeling the heat and the stock taking a dive. one very big reason, the jungle. that giant on the internet named amazon.

attention walmart shops are, only six weeks till black friday. look for more sales, more cut-rate pricinpricing, more ba basement deals. for walmart the stakes are especially high. on wednesday the company paid the price for surprising wall street with bad earnings forecasts through 2018. in one day the stock lost 10%. for the year so far down 29%. >> surprised, shocked because the decline for the largest retailer in the world's stock was frankly stunning to me. >> on cnbc wednesday, walmart's ceo blamed part of the problem on a big pay raise the company announced earlier this year. >> you know that in february we announced a two-step wage increase, moved our minimum start rate to $9 this year and $10 next year. >> reporter: but make no mistake, the internet is a huge threat as more customers shop

online, avoiding long lines and traffic jams. walmart used to be the biggest retailer. not anymore. today it's amazon.com. as holiday shopping prepares to kick off, the competition could mean customers will be the biggest winners with the biggest retailers online and on main street expected to slash prices. >> not only is walmart competing with amazon to get that online customers, they're also competing to get that customer that wants the lowest price overall every day, 365 days a year. >> reporter: so millennial shoppers between 17 and 34 years of age are expected to spend $200 billion by 2017 on mobile devices and online. that could mean some very big names, some retailers, won't survive. in a is why walmart is investing in their technology to compete online and also look for big upgrades in their stores in your neighborhood, more paint, cleaning up the whole thing. they're trying to go a little

bit more higher brow or higher image, i should say. >> tom costello, an interesting story. sign of the times. coming up, former nba and reality show star lamar odom fighting for his life this morning after being discovered unconscious inside a nevada brothel. the desperate 911 calls made in the moments after he was found. >> plus a "today" exclusive. she's been ridiculed in the media, called the worst aunt ever because she sued her nephew over a prone wrist. but what is the real story? today we are going to hear f

coming up, coming up, savannah, you can save your 4%. it could be the end of tipping. why one big name in the restaurant business is saying no tip allowed. >> and i think that is a little undercooked. be.

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everything you've got. tylenol® good morning. 7:26. i'm kris sanchez. continuing coverage of the sinkhole that is getting big and getting bigger. drivers are warned to steer clear. the roadway collapsed near alvarado boulevard. crews have not pinpointed the source of the sinkhole. it still doubled in size over night and now more than 150 square feet. crews expect the street to remain closed through this morning and parents whose kids who go to school nearby are being told to allow extra time for drop afternoon and use the back entrance. alvarado middle. here is water of a different kind, the one we like.

kari. >> rain this morning. right now, we are taking a break and seeing temperatures in the low 60s. humid, too. we will feel the humidity through the afternoon. high of 80 degrees in the east bay. the tri-valley at 86. this is average for mid-october. let's go to mike for a look at traffic. kari, this is northbound is 01. it is flowing slowly. the south bay, nothing unusual. 101 here. 85 and 87 and 17. all of the san jose freeways moving to the rest of the area. a better flow of traffic. better now across the san mateo bridge. three incidents cleared in the last 40 montinutes. you can head back to 92 and even out. the approach to the bay bridge is standard. back to you. >> he we have more local news

coming up in a half hour. have a good morning.

>> lamar odom is clinging for life after he was discovered unconscious in a nevada brothel. jacob, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning. doctors are treating his condition as a drug overdose. the star surrounded by family and friends who say they're

hoping and praying for any improvement, which so far does not seem to have come. when lamar odom was found unresponsive at the love ranch brothel, employees called 911 in a panic. >> they need to hurry please, he's got blood coming out of his nose and white stuff out of his mouth. can't get him to wake up. >> when paramedics arrived, he was on the bed, fully clothed, still unconscious. it took four men to carry him to the ambulance. four days later, his condition hasn't improved. they say that it is a drug overdose and he's hooked up to a ventilator. khloe and other kardashian

family members rushed to his side. kobe bryant is said to have left his game early to be with odom and to have stayed since. other friends and acquaintances stopped by as well, including the reverend jesse jackson. >> fortunately khloe was there and two of his close friend and after the doctor finished the procedure today i was able to go in and see him and hold hands and say a prayer. >> the #prayersforlamar trending on social media. >> during the call, the sheriff dispatch was informed the male had been using cocaine. >> reporter: moving forward doctors will not know the extent of the brain damage until odom wakes up. if he does, the sheriff is conducting her own investigation, serving a search warrant at the brotheth and conducting her on toxicology test, which won't be available for at least another couple of

weeks. guys, thanks very much. >> let's check in with al in new orleans this morning. good morning again. >> thanks very much. i'm at the national world war ii museum. we have big changes coming in our weather, especially in southern california. there's a big upper level low that's going to start moving on shore. you can see the showers, even heavier thunderstorms now firing up. this is going to start to spread further to the east as we get on into the next 24 to 48 hours. heavier showers and thunderstorms firing up. so we're looking for a flood threat this afternoon, weak steering flow. these thunderstorms are going to be very slow moving. we're talking 1 to 2 inches of rain but some areas could be looking at up to 3 inches of rain before it's all over. so we're going to be watching all this. friday it wi good morning. i'm kari hall.

the low spins across the region and it could bring in scattered showers to the bay area. right now, we have a few clouds mixed in with the sunshine. temperatures that are very muggy in the 60s. in the mid-60s today. rising up to 80 degrees in the east bay. 73 degrees in san francisco. 83 in the north bay. and a high of 85 in the south bay while the peninsula feels humid 78 degrees. guys, there's history all around us here and we're going to be heading up there to take a look, a closer look at some of the great aircraft that's here in this museum. back to you. >> that is a cool spot. >> i've never been down to that museum. that's cool. >> al, thank you so much. coming up in trending, is the tesla next to you going to be driving itself? a huge update to tell you about. >> and coming up, the woman

demonized as the worst aunt nephew for suing her nephew for a broken wrist. is there another side to the story? we'll have the exclusive interview after this. i need new carpet.

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in a moment. first, the look back at the fire storm. on twitter, she's been dubbed the worst aunt ever. new york tabloids crowned her the antichrist. jennifer connell garnered headlines when the world found out she was suing her nephew for hugging her too hard. the jury took 25 minutes to rule against connell's lawsuit, but she was mocked for longer than that. >> it's an outrage, a shame, a disgrace. >> she told the court, i was at a party and it was difficult to hold my hors d'oeuvre plate. the horrible. >> one can assume she'll be using her good hand to wave good-bye to that family relationship. >> we weighed in on the story. >> it looks terrible. >> not her best day. >> no. >> suing four years later. >> that's the only thing. >> awful. >> connell says the case was the only feasible way to have homeowners insurance cover her medical bills. jennifer connell and sean tarala

are here this morning. good morning to both of you. >> good morning. >> what a 24 hours it has been for both of you. as we said, we were hard on you on this show, as well. why did you want to come on and speak? what did you want people to understand? >> that we love each other very much, and that this was simply a case of formality with an insurance claim. >> sean, i know you adore your aunt. it was important for you to be here today. what did you want to say? >> she would never do anything to hurt the family or myself. and she loves us. >> what's it been like, jennifer? you saw that. i know you've seen the headlines and i'm sure friends have been calling. to suddenly be in the center of something that was so tough on me. >> it was a complete shock to me. it was amazing how, you know, i walked into court that morning

and walked out all over social media. it just spun and spun, and i suddenly was getting calls, don't look at the internet. don't turn on the television. it was sort of heartbreaking and really painful but, also, like walking into a film of someone else's life. i hadn't been briefed. i've been in shock since that happened. >> did you see it, sean, some of this stuff? how did you feel about it? >> i felt like everybody was saying stuff that they didn't kn know, and they didn't -- just saying stuff they didn't know. >> help people understand, jennifer. i mean, i'm sure you'd be the first to admit that when you hear about someone suing their own nephew because he hugged you too hard, you know, people are going to think, well, that sounds terrible. what was this all about?

>> i have to tell you that it sounded terrible to me from the very beginning. you know, i said at the start of this, i don't understand why -- you know, i would never want to sue sean, but i'm no legal expert, but as i understand it, in connecticut, it's not possible to name an insurance company in a suit of a homeowners insurance case. an individual has to be named. in this case, because sean and i had this fall together, i was informed that we had -- sean had to be named. i was never comfortable with that. but it was explained to me that it's just a technicality. or just sort of the way the language had to be used, or the way the case had to be framed. >> you have a stack of medical bills, and you were looking for the homeowners insurance policy to pay for it. it sounds like you had to say, okay, there was negligence at the home and that triggered the

homeowners policy. is that the way you understood it? >> that's how i understood it, yes. >> now looking at at everything that's happened, not only what you've gone through and how people perceived this case, but also the fact that this jury heard the case and came back 25 minutes later and did not award you the damages you sought, do you have any regrets about it? do you feel like, hey, maybe i didn't get good legal advice? how do you feel about this experience? >> i'm still in shock, but it's not been a pleasant experience since the beginning, of course. i am just confused. you know, i just feel like, perhaps, it's the way the legal system is set up, so that the insurance companies aren't necessarily in the spotlight for stepping up and taking

responsibility for handling claims on properties. >> sean, what do you want people to know about your aunt? >> that i love her and she loves me. >> well, it's good to have both of you here. i think it's a good lesson for everybody, that you think you know a story, but you never know what's really going on behind it. we appreciate both of you for being here. >> thank you very much. >> thank you. >> jennifer connell and sean tarala, thank you so much. coming up, a former waiter reveals the most annoying things we do when we're eating out. that's in trendi

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good thursday morning. i'm sam brock. millions across the country today are bracing for the much talked about big one. the annual great shakeout. the focus on earthquake preparedness. at the tech museum, students will watch a special presentation on quake safety and participate in drills and drop, cover and hold on drills. students across the bay area are participating in similar drills. b.a.r.t. engineers will trigger the earthquake alarm which slows all trains after a big shaker. b.a.r.t. policy is to stop all trains five minutes after a quake happens.

in fact, as you were pointing out earlier, we had an earthquake. >> we will be watching out for that as well. the possibility of spotty light showers. meantime, temperatures in the low to mid-60s with highs in 70s and 80s. keep the umbrella handy in the south bay. otherwise a mix of sun and clouds. mike. kari, the commute is not bad with the incidents or severity. we have a good volume of traffic causing slowing for the upper east shore. an earlier crash eastbound 880. it caused the slowing. that is unusual away from the bay bridge. a smoother ride across the san mateo. there is the stalled vehicle on 92 and 101 interchange. it is clear now. northbound is grinding down. the red zone means below 20 miles an hour. a quick look at palo alto. you are starting to feel the brakes.

thank you. coming up. an nbc news special report on afghanistan. stay tuned.

test. garnett. >> it's 18:00, coming up, one of the big restaurants making a bold move, what will customers say? >> it is throwback thursday. >> we go back in time to uncover the trend. and taylor swift pop star vans joy stops by studio 1a today, thursday, october 15th,

. >> so nice to see you. good morning. welcome-to-back to "today." it is:00, thursday, october 15th, cameron, you have done a great. today. >> thank you. >> you have taken a throwback first song that everyone in america can get behind. >> i love this song.

this is one of my favorites. >> you may be my lucky star because -- >> because wherever you are. >> thank you. >> throwback christina. >> are he sisters? no way. >> who is that down ther this is an nbc news special report. here's lester holt. >> good morning. president obama is going to go before the cameras with a major

announcement about america's longest war. he will outline another slowdown in the draw down of american troops in afghanistan. the president will say by the end of next year, 5,500 troops will remain in afghanistan. significantly more than the original target of 1,000. currently, there are 9,800 americans there, from a peak of 100,000 in 2011. nbc is at the white house. chris, how long has this been in the works? >> well, it's been in the works since march. that's when he ordered a review of what to do about the war plan in afghanistan. as recently as march, the president also said he intended to end this war, get most of the troops out by the end of his administration. obviously now, that will not happen. it's a significant shift in u.s. policy. it means he cannot keep his campaign promise to end the war, and that he will be surrounded today by his vice president, his defense secretary and the new chairman of the joint chiefs. lester? >> our pentagon correspondent standing by.

jim, is this a reflection on the recent resurgence of the taliban in afghanistan? >> absolutely, lester. u.s. military officials say it was absolutely necessary to maintain a true presence because the afghan military, as they've proven recently, is just in no position right now to be able to take on the resurgence of taliban, al qaeda, and even isis terrorists in afghanistan. they need the u.s. help. >> here is the president now in the roosevelt room. >> good morning. last december, more than 13 years after our nation was attacked by al qaeda on 9/11, america's combat mission in afghanistan came to a responsible end. that milestone was achieved thanks to the courage and the skill of our military, our intelligence and civilian personnel. they served there with

extraordinary skill and valor. and it's worth remembering, especially, the more than 2200 american patriots who made the ultimate sacrifice in afghanistan. i visited our troops in afghanistan last year to thank them on behalf of a grateful nation. i told them they could take great pride in the progress that they helped achieve. they've struck devastating blows against the al qaeda leadership in the triable regions, delivered justice to osama bin laden, prevented terrorist attacks and saved american lives. they pushed the taliban back so that the afghan people could reclaim their communities, send their daughters to school and improve their lives. our troops trained afghan forces so they could take the lead for their own security. and protect afghans as they voted in historic elections, leading to the first democratic transfer of power in their country's history.

today, the american forces no longer patrol afghan villages or valleys. our troops are not engaged in major group combat against the taliban. those missions now belong to afghans, who are fully responsible for securing their country. but, as i've said before, while america's combat mission in afghanistan may be over, our commitment to afghanistan and its people endures. as commander in chief, i will not allow afghanistan to be used as a safe haven for terrorists to attack our nation again. our forces, therefore, remain engaged in two narrow but critical missions. training afghan forces and supporting the counterterrorism operations against the remnants of al qaeda. of course, compared to the 100,000 troops we once had in afghanistan, today, fewer than 10,000 remain in support of

these very focused missions. i meet regularly with my national security team, including commanders in afghanistan, to continually assess honestly the situation on the ground. to determine where our strategy is working and where we may need greater flexibility. i've insisted consistently that our strategy focus on the development of a sustainable afghan capacity and self-sufficiency. when we've needed additional forces to advance that goal, or we've needed to make adjustments in terms of our timetables, then we've made those adjustments. today, i want to update the american people on our efforts. since taking the lead for security earlier this year, afghan forces have continued to step up. this has been the first fighting season where afghans have largely been on their own, and they are fighting for their country bravely and tenaciously. afghan forces continue to hold

most urban areas, and when the taliban has made gains, afghan forces, backed by coalition support, have been able to push them back. this has come at a heavy price. this year alone, thousands of afghan troops and police have lost their lives, as have afghan civilians. at the same time, afghan forces are still not as strong as they need to be. they are developing critical capabilities, intelligence, logistics, aviation, command and control. meanwhile, the taliban has made gains, particularly in rural areas, and can still launch deadly attacks in cities, including kabul. most of this was predictable. we understood as we transitioned, the taliban would try to exploit some of our movements out of particular areas and that it would take

time for afghan security forces to strengthen. pressure from pakistan has resulted more al qaeda coming into afghanistan. we've seen an emergence of an isil presence. the bottom line, in key areas of the country, the security situation is still very fragile. in some places, there's risk of deterioration. fortunately, in president ghani and chief executive abdullah, there is a national unity government that supports a strong partnership with the united states. during their visit earlier this year, president ghani and i agreed to continue our counterterrorism operation. he has asked for continued support as afghan forces grow stronger. following consultations with my entire national security team, as well as our international partners and members of congress, president ghani and chief executive abdullah, i'm therefore announcing the following steps, which i am

convinced offer the best possibility for lasting progress in afghanistan. first, i've decided to maintain our current posture of 9,800 troops in afghanistan through most of next year, 2016. their mission will not change. our troops will continue to pursue those two narrow tasks that i outlined earlier. training afghan forces and going after al qaeda. but maintaining our current posture through most of next year, rather than a more rapid draw down, will allow us to sustain our efforts to train and assist afghan forces as they grow stronger. not only during this fighting season, but into the next one. second, i've decided that instead of going down to a normal embassy presence in kabul by the end of 2016, we will

maintain 5,500 troops at a small number of bases. again, the mission will not change. our troops will focus on training afghans and counterterrorism operations. but these bases will give us the presence and the reach our forces require to achieve their mission. in this sense, afghanistan is a key piece of the network of counterterrorism partnerships that we need, from south asia to africa, to deal more broadly with terror threats quickly and prevent attacks against our homeland. third, we will work with allies and partners to align the steps i'm announcing today with their own presence in afghanistan after 2016. in afghanistan, we are part of a 42-nation coalition, and our nato allies and partners can continue to play an indispensable role in helping afghanistan strengthen its security forces, including

respect for human rights. finally, because governance and development remain the foundation for stability and progress in afghanistan, we will continue to support president ghani and the national unity government as they pursue critical reforms. new provincial governors have been appointed and president ghani is working to combat corruption, strengthen institutions and uphold rule of law. as i told president ghani and chief executive abdullah yesterday, efforts to deliver progress and justice for the afghan people will continue to have the strong support of the united states. we cannot separate the importance of governance with the issues of security. the more effective these reforms happen, the better off the security situation is going to be. we also discussed american

support of an afghan-led reconciliation process. by now, it should be clear to the taliban and all who oppose afghanistan's progress, the only real way to achieve the full draw down of u.s. and foreign troops from afghanistan is through a lasting political settlement with the afghan government. like wise, sanctuaries for the taliban and other terrorists must end. next week, i'll host prime minister sharif of pakistan, and i'll urge all parties in the region to press the taliban to return to peace talks and to do their part in pursuit of the peace that afghans deserve. in closing, i want to speak directly to those whose lives are most directly affected by decisions i'm announcing today. to the afghan people, who have suffered so much, america's commitment to you and to a secure, stable and unified

afghanistan that remains firm. our two nations have forged the strategic partnership for the long term. as you defend and build your country, today is a reminder that the united states keeps our commitments. to our men and women in uniform, i know this means that some of you will rotate back into afghanistan. with the end of our combat mission, this is not like 2010, when nearly 500 americans were killed and many more were injured. but still, afghanistan remains dangerous. 25 brave americans have given their lived there this year. i do not send you into harm's way lightly. it's the most solemn decision that i make. i know the wages of war and the wounded warriors i visit in the hospital, and in the grief of gold star families. but as your commander in chief,

i believe this mission is vital to our national security interests in preventing terrorist attacks against our citizens and our nation. and to the american people, i know that many of you have grown weary of this conflict. as you are well aware, i do not support the idea of endless war, and i have repeatedly argued against marching into open-ended military conflict that is do not serve our core security interests. yet, given what's at stake in afghanistan, and the opportunity for a stable and committed ally that can partner with us in preventing the emergence of future threats, and the fact that we have an international coalition, i am firmly convinced that we should make this extra effort. in the afghan government, we have a serious partner who wants our help. and the majority of the afghan people share our goals. we have a bilateral security

agreement, to guide our cooperation. every single day, afghan forces are out there fighting and dying to protect their country. they're not looking for us to do it for them. i'm speaking of the afghan army cadet who grew up seeing bombings and attacks on innocent civilians who said, because of this, i took the decision to join the army, to try and save innocent people's lives. or the police officer training to diffuse explosives. i know it's dangerous work, he says, but i've always had a dream of wearing the uniform of afghanistan, serving my people and defending my country. or the afghan commando, a hardened veteran of many missions, who said, if i tell you the stories of my life, i might start crying. he serves, he said, because the faster we bring peace, the faster we can bring education, and the stronger our unity will

grow. only if these things happen will afghanistan be able to stand up for itself. my fellow americans, after so many years of war, afghanistan will not be a perfect place. it's a poor country that will have to work hard on its development. there will continue to be contested areas. but afghans like these are standing up for their country. if they were to fail, it would endanger the security of us all. we've made enormous investment in a stable afghanistan. afghans are making difficult but genuine progress. this modest but meaningful extension of our presence, while sticking to our current, narrow missions, can make a real difference.

it's the right thing to do. may god bless our troops and all who keep us safe, and may god continue to bless the united states of america. >> can you tell us how disappointing this decision is? >> this decision is not disappointing. continually, my goal has been to make sure that we give every opportunity for afghanistan to succeed, while we're still making sure that we're meeting our core missions. as i've continually said, my approach is to assess the situation on the ground, figure out what's working, figure out what's not working, make adjustments where necessary. this isn't the first time the adjustments have been made. this probably won't be the last. what i'm encouraged by is the fact that we have a government that is serious about trying to deliver security and the

prospects of a better life for the afghan people. we have a clear majority of the afghans who want to partner with us and the international community to achieve those goals. we have a bilateral security arrangement that ensures that our troops can operate in ways that protect them, while still achieving their mission. and we've always known that we had to maintain a counterterrorism operation in that region in order to tamp down any reemergence of active al qaeda networks or other networks that might do us harm. so this is consistent with the overall vision that we've had and, frankly, we anticipated, as we were drawing down troops, that there would be times where we might need to slow things down or fill gaps in afghan capacity. and this is a reflection of that. it's a dangerous area. so part of what we're constantly

trying to balance is making sure that afghans are out there, they're doing what they need to do, but that we are giving them a chance to succeed and that we're making sure that our force posture in the area for conducting those narrow missions we need to conduct, we can do so relatively safely. there are still risks involved, but force protection, the ability of our embassies to operate effectively, those things all factor in. so we have to constantly review these approaches. the important thing i want to emphasize though is that the nature of the mission has not changed, and the fixation of our combat role has not changed. now, the 25 military and civilians killed last year, that always weighs on my mind.

25 deaths are 25 too many, particularly for the families of the fallen. but understand, relative to what was involved when we were in an active combat role and actively engaged in the war in afghanistan, was a very different scenario. so here, you have a situation where we have clarity about what our mission is, we have a partner who wants to work with us. we're going to continually make adjustments to ensure that we give the best possibilities for success. and i suspect we will continue to evaluate this going forward, as will the next president. as conditions improve, we'll be in a position to make further adjustments. but i'm absolutely confident this is the right thing to do, and i'm not disappointed because my view has always been, how do we achieve our goals while minimizing the strain and exposure on our men and women in uniform.

and make sure we are constantly encouraging and sending a message to the afghan people, this is their country and they've got to defend it. but we're going to be a steady partner for them. okay? thank you, everybody. >> president obama taking one question following the statement. essentially, the plan had been for the u.s. to draw down to 1,000 essentially embassy security personnel at the end of 2016. what the president is announcing here is that the troop level will get down to 5,500 at the end of next year and on into 2017. so a significant difference in what we had been led to believe. let's go to richard engel right now. he is our chief foreign correspondent. he's been watching along with us from istanbul. richard, give us your sense of what's happening on the ground that's driving this decision. >> reporter: well, in afghanistan, the situation is one that the government and the afghan security forces cannot control the country. they just lost to the taliban

last month, the city of kunduz. the taliban is making in roads. now, you see isis also in afghanistan, a group that never had a presence in afghanistan. there is a concern that if the -- well, i guess you call it the former plan was carried out and u.s. troops started drawing down very soon, that the government would collapse and the afghan security forces would collapse. we would have, effectively, what was a repeat of iraq. i think, when you listen to the president's remarks today, keep thinking about iraq. when the u.s. pulled out of iraq and went down to a very small number of troops, the iraqi government collapsed. the iraqi army collapsed. now, by maintaining these 10,000 troops in afghanistan for another year, and then only drawing down to 5,000 after that, i think the president is trying to prevent afghanistan from being another failure like iraq. >> richard, help me understand some of the language. the president talks about the end of the combat mission. that is already over.

then he talks about counterterror operations. we saw the accidental bombing of a hospital in afghanistan during combat operations. what, if any, is the difference, in terms of what americans are actually engaged in there? >> reporter: u.s. troops, about 10,000, are on the ground in afghanistan now. they are not kicking down doors, not launching their own operation, but they are in harm's way. they are going with afghan forces. they are flying aircraft above afghan forces in battle. afghan forces are out front, but american troops are advising them in the rear. that is the kind of situation that will continue for the next year and beyond. that is a different situation than actual combat operations, where u.s. troops are kicking down doors and the first ones into the battle. >> all right. richard engel in istanbul for us today. again, the president making this announcement a short time ago, that the u.s. presence in afghanistan will continue with larger numbers into 2016 and 2017.

we'll have full coverage and the implications a bit later for nbc "nightly news." nbc news, new york. meals served to kids around the world. what y >> you guys are a good team on this. >> we love it. we enjoy it. >> it's great to help. it's something you can do. you don't have to be a billionaire. you make a difference if kids'

lives. >> watch hunger stop, all a part of the unicef, which is a fantastic group. >> >> michael,i'm ... ==anim== coverage this morning... ==topvo== ..as drive good morning. it's 8:26. continuing coverage this morning of the sink hole that's big and growing. drivers being warned to steer clear of that in union city. the roadway collapsed yesterday afternoon. crews have not pinpointed the source. that's why they can't stop it. they did work overnight to try to limit damage, but it doubled in size. it covers more than 800 square feet. crews expect the street to remain closed through this morning. parents whose children attend the school are being told to give themselves extra time for drop-offs because they have to do it around the back. a look at weather coming up later. now we have traffic. >> if you are going to take

freddie street it will take you past the elementary school so added confusion and congestion. we have congestion, a little break into the downtown because of a crash. if you are northbound, typical pattern for san jose. tougher for 17 as well. the rest of the bay approaching oakland is nice. then the bay bridge toll plaza, slow coming out of concord. >> we have more local news coming up for you in just a half hour.

♪ 8:30 now on a thursday morning. it is the 15th day of october, 2015. big crowd on the plaza, and a nice, chilly, bright morning here in the fall in new york city. good to have you along. >> everyone is bonding because our babies have the same birthday. not that we weren't listening to what you were saying. >> apparently not. >> it was riveting. we're listening to "riptide," hit by vance joy.

he is touring with taylor swift. he'll continue his tour in his native australia. first, he'll sing for us. don't miss that. >> the one and only marlo thomas is here. she'll fill us in on her new play on broadway. also ahead, it's chilly out here with the weather getting colder. there's nothing like a great big bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup. katie lee will show us how to make the best chicken noodle soup. it's tricky. she's great. >> makes a good one. >> little programming note for you. in the hit 2003 movie "school of rock," jack black played a rocker turned substitute teacher who turned his students into a rock and roll band. now the big-screen favorite is headed to broadway. the cast will be here tomorrow to perform live, along with the show's creator, andrew lloyd webber. >> let's get a check of the weather. al is in new orleans.

>> good morning. we're at the national world war ii museum. behind me, this is the wall of honor. all the medal of honor winners from world war ii, including seven african-americans whose honor deferred. they had to wait until early 1992 to finally receive their medals of honor because they had been denied by the u.s. government all that time. finally, they are part of that wall. let's show you what's happening as far as our weekend is concerned. you'll see that we're looking for tomorrow, a lot of wet weather through the southwest to southern california. showers in the pacific northwest. rain moves to new england. upstate new york and the eastern great lakes. into saturday, look for some snow showers through northern new england, upstate new york and the up of michigan. more wet weather from the northwest to the southwest. sunny for the gulf coast. sunday, sunday, chilly conditions. lake-effect snow may set up. look for wet weather through the four corners.

plenty of sunshine through the gulf coast and into the northeast. that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in good morning. i'm kari hall. light rain moving into the south bay. we will have a chance of showers throughout the morning, especially south of san francisco. we do have a lot of sunshine, mostly clear skies, temperatures in the mid 60s. 56 in the north bay. this is where we are headed this afternoon, up to 73 degrees in san francisco. the east bay, 80. 86 in the tri-valley. in the south bay, expect a high of 85. >> that is your latest weather. guys, i cannot urge you enough, next time you're in new orleans, you have got to come to the national world war ii museum. of course, it is a cause that is near and dear to our good friend tom brokaw's heart. he was a part of setting this up. it is unbelievable when you step into the walls. it's a beautiful place.

>> looks great, al. thank you so much. for nearly 60 years, dick van dyke has been entertaining people with his singing, dancing and acting and is still going strong. >> he's out with a new book about living a long and active life, called, "keep moving." he sat down to talk about it with joe fryer. >> they'll help your posture, too. >> reporter: if dick van dyke made a workout video, you might call it sweating with the oldies. >> old guys, the shoulder start to go. >> reporter: for this active icon, age is just a number. >> normally, i would not start an interview this way, but i think it's appropriate in this situation. how old are you? >> i'm going to be 90 in december. >> you say that with pride, don't you? >> yes. i can't get my mind around it. i don't feel 90. >> reporter: van dyke begins days by tackling a long list of exercises. >> i could do these forever.

>> reporter: arriving so early, the gym gave him his own key. ♪ even when he's not working out, he is constantly in motion. barely missing a beat since his dancing days in "mary poppins." much more sure footed than the clumsy characters who stumbled over the ottoman. >> people tell me they can't dance and sing. everybody can. you may stink at it, but keep moving. >> reporter: which is the title of his new book, "keep moving," an autobiography filled with tips about aging. the hollywood legend stays young by singing in a quartet named dick van dyke and the fantastics. and dancing through a music video which has gone rival. >> a few million people have watched that. why do you think people want to

watch you dance? >> i think it's the fact that i'm old and the fact that i'm still jumping around. >> in your mind, are you a good dancer? >> no. they say, sing like nobody can hear you. sing like nobody can hear you. everybody should be singing and dancing. >> reporter: his other secrets, a positive attitude and a life full of love. he met his wife ten years ago. >> when he walked up to you, did you know who he was? >> yes, i knew who he was. >> weren't you in "mary poppins" or something? >> while she's half his age, she insists she doesn't know the difference. >> i think he's lying about his age. >> people will say, my, she's beautiful. is she your daughter? your granddaughter? no, she's my wife. hugh hefner, eat your heart out. >> reporter: dick van dyke may be almost 90 but there's more

life to live. >> a 100-year-old man on the news this morning broke the record for a 100 yard dash, 27 seconds. >> you're aspiring to that, aren't you? >> i'm going to break the record. >> reporter: all he has to do is keep moving. >> there is a fear of getting old among the young. fear of death. it's amazing. i want people to know that old age can be wonderful. it's the best time of my life, by far. ♪ say it isn't so >> reporter: for "today," joe fryer, nbc news, malibu, california. >> we should all be so lucky to be like that at 90. >> we watch him workout with the backbends. >> that's a lot of weight. >> amazing. >> whatever he's doing, we have to do it, too. >> yeah. >> positive attitude, too. look at him, he's got such a joy of life. >> no question. coming up, another entertainment legend. marlo thomas.

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

marlo is an actress and flos t -- philanthropist. she's now starring in "clever little lies." good morning. good to see you. >> thank you. >> you are such a force and great philanthropist, actress. you're on stage and getting great reviews. >> i'm loving it. it's great. >> how does it feel? >> it's a comedy. nothing is better than people laughing and gasping. there are so many switches and surprises. they gasp, and i love it. >> you do eight shows a week. i don't know how you do that. how do you find the energy? >> it's fabulous. the best time is the matinee

day. whatever you learned at the 2:00 show, oh, that's how you do that. at 8:00, i can put it in. i don't know how you do this. putting my makeup on, ufs thii thinking, that poor woman. >> i couldn't do what you do. you have a process as an actor, is there something you do to get in the zone? >> i get there two and a half hours early. i do a half hour vocalization. >> what's a vocalization? >> you use your voice and walk among the theater. so it feels like home and not a scary place. what's great about this play is that joe wrote it. he has awards for other show. i was a disciple of nichols. he did that with his shows. with everything he did, graduate or anything else, it was funny but there was always an underbelly of reality and drama. that's what i'm loving about it. david is our director. this is my third time working

with him. he's fabulous. everybody said, you're playing a dysfunctional family, but you're all so functional. >> it's called "clever little lies," and it is lever. it has twists and turns. >> when i started reading it, i thought i knew where it was going, a comedy. when i turned my page, i was like, i didn't know that was going to happen. one of my co-stars, greg, brilliantly talented, i mean, he does things with one look that takes days of rehearsal for everybody else to get the look. >> i have to ask about the hubby. you've been harried for 35 years. >> he's my joy. >> has he come seen the play? >> oh, no. of course! >> he doesn't give a pcritique r anything, right? >> that's how we've been married 35 years. he loves it. >> you were awarded the presidential medal of freedom for your work as an activist, as an artist. i mean, i know the answer to this, but when you read

something like that, there's no way you're slowing down, right? you don't go, that was the summit. >> you know what's thrilling about getting a president's medal is it's not what you aspire to. as an actress, you think, i'll win an oscar, emmy, tony. you don't think, i'll get a presidential medal. it's a surprise in your life. it's very emotional. it was very emotional, when president obama hung the medal around my neck. i thought, wow, this is a moment that i really want to cherish because it'll -- it's one in time. sort of an there forever. >> where do you keep it? i'd be wearing it every day with my outfit. >> i framed it and hang it on the wall. >> marlo thomas, always a pleasure. we'll see you a little later. >> i want to see you backstage at my play. >> i want to come see it. >> west side theater. >> by the way, it runs in new york through january 3rd. coming up next, it's that time of year for chicken noodle

soup. katie lee is here. first, this is "today kwn ots

this morning on today food, it's the one-pot dishes that can warm you up. as the temperatures dip, culinary expert katie lee is a co-host on the food network show "the kitchen." she's here with her take on a classic chicken noodle soup. >> it is a classic and it's comfort food. just warms you up. >> do some people try to get too fancy? >> this is one of the tried and true. you can make some substitutions, which i'll show you. >> let's look at the ingredient panel. show people how simple this is going to be. not a lot there. >> nothing you don't already know, or maybe even have. i used chicken breasts, carrots, celery, egg noodles, onion,

parsley, thyme, bay leaf and low-sodium broth. >> first thing, you brown the chicken. >> yeah, brown the chicken breasts. the skin is going to give you a lot of flavor. then take them out before they get down. >> how long does that take? >> a couple minutes on each side. put the veggies in here. >> the whole thing? >> the whole thing. scrape this and get the brown bits up. cook these for a minute or two, kind of tender. >> you do like to keep scraping the bottom, right? >> i do. pour that in? >> this way. >> i'll put the chicken breast back in. put the whole thing? . that broth, as it comes to temperature, is going to take all the flavor out of our veggies and chicken. simmer it covered for 25 minutes. that's it. super simple. >> here's what it looks like at the end. >> take the chicken out. see how it has a foam? >> what is that from? >> scrape it off. >> this is the proteins and fat coming out of the meat.

it won't hurt you but it'll make your soup cloudy. take that right out. then what we're going to do is shred the chicken. >> take the skin off. >> it'll save you a lot of fat. then shred it with two forks. really simple. >> can i use my hands and dump that in? >> go for it. >> you can use chicken thighs, a whole chicken if you're doubling the recipe. all goes in. now the egg noodles. >> those go in last. >> takes eight to ten minutes. you can substitute with rice or quinoa if you want to do gluten free. it comes out like this. >> look at the color, it's perfect. >> homey and delicious. great for cold season. i like to add a little fresh parsley at the end. little freshness, little color. >> the way you've done it here, this is about 30, 35 minutes, start to finish. could you also do this in one of the crock-pots, put it on in the morning? >> don't put the noodles in though. put everything in and about an

hour before it's done, dump the noodles in. that's it. you can have a great homey soup and freeze it, too. >> one of the best things about chicken noodle soup is it's even better on the second and third day. >> i think soup is always better the next day. >> we have a dispute though. >> okay. >> you serve this with saltine crackers. >> i like the saltine crackers. >> wouldn't you want a nice, crusty bread? >> you can go crusty bread, but this is nostalgia. isn't it childhood, to have crackers, matt? >> this is comfort stuff, no question. >> i love these. >> chicken noodle soup made simple and perfect for this winter weather we're about to experience. a katie lee, great to have you here. >> great to be here. thank you. >> by the way, it's the new york wine and food festival. >> coming up this weekend. >> cooking or eating in? >> i'm going to do a little cooking and a lot of eating. it's a great event for a great cause. >> nice to see you. and you can get our own copy of katie's classic chicken noodle soup. head to today.com/food. up next, taylor swift's

opening act set to be a headliner himself. vance joy will be live in concert. first, this is "today" on nbc.

the citi concert series on "today" is presented to you.

>> australian singer/song yn writer vance joy might be finishing up a world tour with taylor swift but getting started with his career in the u.s. he's now with a new edition of his debut album. vance joy, good morning. >> good morning. >> you're from australia, doing open mics. now you're opening for taylor swift and will do a tour in january. what has this experience been like? >> amazing. i love writing songs. i had very modest expectations when i started out. then i got more and more shows. then i got on this tour with taylor swift. i've started to make an impression in america, which is amazing. i'm enjoying it. very busy and couldn't think of anything i'd rather do. >> we'd love to hear you sing. what are you going to play? >> "fire and the flood." >> take it away, vance joy.

♪ i was only walking through your neighborhood ♪ ♪ saw you out loud honey in the cold i stood ♪ ♪ anywhere i go, there you are, anywhere i go, there you are ♪ ♪ there you are, there you are ♪ you're the fire and the flood, and i'll always feel you in my blood ♪ ♪ everything is fine when your hand is resting next to mine, next to mine ♪ ♪ you're the fire and the flood ♪ ♪ since we met i feel a lightness in my step ♪ ♪ you're miles away but i still

feel you ♪ ♪ anywhere i go, there you are, anywhere i go, there you are ♪ ♪ there you are, there you are ♪ you're the fire and the flood, and i always feel you in my blood ♪ ♪ everything is fine when your hand is resting next to mine, next to mine ♪ ♪ you're the fire and the flood ♪ ♪ oh

♪ now here she sits, when you'll know, you'll know, and i know ♪ ♪ you're the fire and the flood ♪ ♪ and i always feel you in my blood ♪ ♪ everything is fine when your hand is resting next to mine, next to mine ♪ ♪ you're the fire and the flood ♪ [ applause ] >> vance joy, thank you so much. remember his special edition of debut album "dream your life

away" is available now. we're back after a check of your local news and weather. i'm ... ==aniim== happening today... ==topvo== the fate of t a good thursday morning. it's 8:56. happening today, the fate of two financially troubled hospitals taking center stage in the south bay. the state attorney general will gauge reaction to the proposed sales of the two hospitals. the potential buyer, a hedge fund. two hearings are set to take place. a follow-up from last

month's valley wildfire which is now being called the costliest in california in eight years. it caused more than $1.5 billion in damage. in terms of economic losses, not only is that california's worst wildfire since '07 but the fifth worst in u.s. history.

take," kate hudson joins us, taking over a new role and a revealing selfie. plus kate winslet and the wardrobe malfunction everybody is talking about. then sarah silverman shows her serious side. coming up now. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today's take," with willie geist, natalie morales, tamron hall and al roker, live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> welcome to "today." it's thursday morning. that's a big, good looking crowd on the plaza. it's october 15th, 2015. i'm willie with natalie and tamron. al is on the road in new orleans. this is my morning jam. >> i love it.

>> i get all my morning jams from lucie, currently in a hip hop dance. every time you look at her, she's doing choreographer somewhere. this is dj snake, "turn down for what" fame. there's a part that goes, blow a kiss, fire a gun. she's doing this, up here with the guns. >> you want to tell america that's what your child is doing at home? >> she's dancing to the music they put in front of her. >> go for it! >> i'm the one without the child, and i'm concerned that -- but, you know what, it's an upgrade from last summer, when she was getting drunk on the plane. that's a dierks bentley jam. >> what's the song? >> "i can't feel my face when i'm with you". >> i can't imagine being a parent.

>> i wondered what the story behind the song was. >> you're kids are singing and you realize what it is from the car seat. what do you do at that moment? >> clearly, we're liberal with the reaching. >> if they don't understand what it's about, then it's okay, somewhat. >> i love it. mom, what does that mean? >> i'm like, oh, boy. >> change the channel. >> love it. >> then they figure it out from friends. >> exactly. hey, this is an interesting story, i think a lot of people will be interested to hear. one major restaurant group in new york announcing its doing away with tipping. danny meyer has an empire called union square hospitality, some of the best restaurants in new york city. >> union square cafe, the modern, and others. basically, what they're going to do is raise their prices, in some cases, between 20% and 30%, but ask for no tipping whatsoever. when you get your check, there will not be a line for tips. he's saying, i'm taking care of my people.

don't worry about it. he's going to compensate employees competitively, professionally. distribute pay between reservationists and dishwashers who don't usually get tips. >> it's a revenue sharing model which, in principle, it sounds great. you wonder, still, there are going to be customers, hard habit to break, that will leave cash on the table. i guess he's trying to eliminate that all together. it'll be a hard thing to institutionalize it. he's just starting it as the modern first. >> tom colicchio said he's doing it at his restaurant. if you go to miami, they have an international tourism clientele, service is included there. you have a number of restaurants. to willie's point, you do, as the customer, you want to make sure that the restaurant is not just hiking the price up and not distributing it to the employees fairly and equitably. that's the concern.

if you want to leave extra money, no one is going to get mad. they won't say, no, we can't take it. if someone is especially kind, if you have a child, a big group, and you want to give extra dough, why not? >> i like the idea of dishwashers, guys doing hard work, will get some money. danny meyer is a good guy. you want to make sure everybody is getting the amount of money they would have gotten with tipping. christina says we're going to go bankrupt because of my tipping. i have respect for those people. >> i was a cocktail waitress. >> the only job i quit. it's so hard. to your point about the distribution, when i first started waiting tables, after you get your tips, we'd have to pass out to the bartender. there were people who were not on the list to get a part of your tips. >> here's the thing though, i mean, as we've worked in the service industry at one point, i mean, a lot of what you earn sometimes you didn't necessarily

report all of it. you wonder how that's going to -- >> i'm not saying that on national tv. what's wrong with you? >> i'm being honest. when i was 16, 17, working in college, i mean -- >> can they go back that far? >> they can't. also, i was exempt because, i mean, i was making less. it was my summer job. but you took that cash and put it straight in the bank. it was a lot of cash. you wonder if all the waiters and waitresses will be okay. >> they won't. no. >> some of them like it and some don't. they want to make sure they don't go home. >> i'm still tipping. >> me, too. i have to. i think it's the right thing. >> i mean, you're the american tipping -- they love you. >> yeah, yeah. >> europeans are like, here they are. sit at my table. >> you're going to love this next story. we love kate winslet here. she's on the new movie, steve jobs.

she has a great story about a wardrobe malfunction. she's always gorgeous, dressed up, put together. nature calls, so you on wonder how you're going to get out of the dress. well, here is what happened to her in her epic wardrobe malfunction. >> the bathroom, and i go, how -- how am i going to -- oh, wait. there's a zip down, and there's a zip up. this is perfect. so i unzip from the bottom like this. okay. going fine. i pee. really going fine. i'm feeling smug. then i zip the dress down and the end of the zipper comes off in my hand. i am standing there wearing a time bomb. i know it's only a matter of time before -- oh, my god! the whole dress, the whole of the back of the dress swings around to the front.

i am standing there completely naked, basically wearing a black cape dangling from my neck. we managed to cut the dress off me at the top because that was jammed. we had to stuff the dress into the janitor's closet and wrap me in a tea towel. i had to proceed with the 60th birthday party wearing a tea towel. >> no way! >> i love how she acts it out. >> yes. >> she wins. >> you had this happen to you. >> oh, you've never had it happen? >> i have an epic one. >> a zipper broke and we had to yank it off. my malfunctions often happen when we're in a gown, at an event, and you're in the lady's stall and you realize you have on the full body spanks. you won't understand this. you have to somehow -- you can't take it off. you have to take the whole thing off. some of the spanks some equipped with -- >> service doors. >> little service door. it's not easy to get through the

door. it's the worst thing ever. okay. >> i'll tell you mine real quick. we were in grass mountain, vancouver olympics. so it's wet out and cold, and i was wearing black suede pants. i guess they got a little humid and stretched out a little bit, and let's say, the back split right down. let me tell you, black duck tape, best invention ever. right down the middle. thank goodness for donna richards at the time. okay. >> stylish, leather coming out. >> duck tape can fix anything. >> you know what? we're sink or swim. it is still on. we're still asking you to help us with this challenge. you now -- we're upping the ante. you have a chance to win a trip to new york city to be the person who dunks up. here's the other thing, we're asking that you send us a photo of yourself and tell us in 50

words or less why you deserve to dunk the whole "today's take" team. go to today.com. follow the pink or swim challenge contest in the links. after entering the contest, if you can, we would appreciate you donating. spread the word. i feel like when i sold cookies at school, you ask your mom's friends. that's what we're doing. your favorite hometown meteorologist will also be able to come and report the weather live with al. >> i think it's great. >> here's the deal. this is where it's big. hi, mr. roker. look at your screen for a second. i got an awesome tweet yesterday from one of our viewers. he's on board. he says, make a dollar goal for borgeist. that is willie wearing the borat one-piece yellow. how does willie look in a

bikini? how would this look on tv? there it is, willie. >> oh, you put it that way. i'm in? >> if you donate enough money, we reach our goal, that, ladies and gentlemen, is what you'll be seeing. >> no. >> i'll guarantee it. >> in a word, no. al, help me out here, man. >> who would his body double be? >> not happening. i won't allow it. not allow it. >> al say he is will not allow it. >> not going to happen. >> i have somebody on my side. >> not going to allow it. >> thank you, al. >> i got dumped in a gown. >> i'll wear a gown. >> okay. >> over that. >> all right. >> al, rescue us from this, please. >> yeah, no. okay. i'm going to tell you, it's not happening, right now. >> thank you. >> speaking for willie and i'm speaking for america. >> killjoy. >> now, let's show you what's going on. yes, i am. that's me. you betcha. we're at the national world war ii museum.

this is history unto itself. you have got to come visit this museum. it is amazing. in fact, you look up, i mean, you've got all sorts of world war ii aircraft. there's a great exhibit here right now. the fight for the right to fight. it looks at the african-american struggle to fight segregation and the axis powers at the same time. it is amazing. anyway, let's show you what's going on as far as your weather is concerned. we are looking at some showers throughout parts of florida. look at the heavy rain in southern california that's going to be going on. spreading into the southwest. that's going to happen all weekend long. could be flash flooding. we're going to be watching that. there's a big cool down coming into the northeast. meantime, we are going to be looking at, again, record-setting heat stretching from texas to the southwest. look how cool it is in the plains, great lakes, into the northeast and new england. we could be looking at lake-effect snow by this weekend. in the meantime, we have showers from the eastern great lakes, northern new englands.

gorgeous day in the pacific northwest. that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. temperatures are now in the mid-60s and we will have a chance of some light rain as we go into late morning and early afternoon. otherwise it will be humid, a mixture of sun and clouds and a high of 73 in san francisco. the east bay, a high of 80. and 86 degrees in the tri-valley. we'll see some mid 80s for the south bay, 78 degrees in the peninsula. and north bay, expect a high of 38. >> once again, cannot say enough about the national world war ii museum. our good friend tom brokaw was instrumental in getting this going. it is unbelievable. >> phenomenal. >> we were saying the same thing as you stood there.

it's one of the great museums in the country. if you're in new orleans, check it out. al, thanks. coming up next, kate hudson teaming up with michael kors for a new campaign. they want your help. we'll catch up with the power pair after this. after we are all inside for a while, it gets pretty stuffy. when dad opens up the window, what's the first thing he does? the tobin stance. but when we open up the windows, you can see the dust floating around. there's dog hair. pollen. more work. (doorbell) whoa! what's this? swiffer sweeper! swiffer dusters! removes up to 70% of dust and allergens. stays on there like glue. can't do that with the other broom. wow, i love it. the tobin stance! that is totally what it is! we tayou keep the peace. nose. we calm your congestion and pain.

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world hunger day tomorrow. >> they're hoping you'll get involved, as well. kate and michael, good morning. >> good morning. >> you make a good team together. including your social media, instagrammi instagramming, catching a plane together. >> that was a fun day, actually. not planned at all. i thought for sure, i was like, there's no way michael is on this airplane. he's never late. me, i always am. i'm like, where are you going? l.a. we were booking it through the airport. we had five minutes to get across, and we made it. they were not going to wait for us, so we were -- >> they don't wait for anyone. >> they don't. >> the door is closing. >> documented the whole thing. you can watch it on instagram. >> talk about this program, watch hunger stop. how did the two of you get together for it? >> i have to say, for me, i'm always amazed at women who can juggle so many things in their lives and do it so well. i look at, you know, a friend

like kate, who is talented, smart, energetic, a great mom, cares about people, and we have fun. >> we do have fun. >> we have fun together. i thought, you know what? she's going to be a great person to get involved in this. since 2013, as of this past summer, we've delivered 10 million meals around the world to kids. >> amazing. >> great. >> it's incredible. it keeps growing. >> it's a tangible thing to get involved with. it's like, there's -- you know, you don't have to do a lot to make a huge difference. >> you can purchase a watch, right? >> yeah. it's this watch. it's in the stores right now. you purchase the watch, 100 meals go out immediately. >> phenomenal. >> then we have the t-shirt. >> well, we have the real t-shirt. you can go to a fparticipating michael kors store. donate and get a t-shirt for watch hunger stop.

if you don't do that, you can go on watch hunger stop.com and you can post a picture of yourself in a virtual t-shirt. we will donate 50 meals for every post. >> phenomenal. >> great. >> it's interesting. obviously, you heard also, we're trying to raise money for avon pink or swim, doing our part, as well. we want willie, speaking of wearing things, wear the -- >> nice transition. >> the borgeist. >> it's a must. >> first of all, i don't think you have a choice. >> not at this point, now that you've sold me out. >> i think you're going to do it and you're going to like it. >> willie, willie, charity. you'll do anything, right? >> name a charity. >> got to do anything. you give back. >> i made a huge mistake asking for their opinion in the commercial break, thinking they'll say no, don't do it. >> for that, i'm buying two watches, one for me and one for

natalie. >> post your virtual t-shirts. >> we are all about giving. double trouble. >> watch hunger stop.com. >> watch it stop. >> kate and michael, great to see you teaming up for something so important. thank you. >> thank you. coming up next, the social experiment that literally shocked the world. it's coming to the big screen. called "the experimenter." it stars peter sarsgaard. we're going seeing changes in your skin? aging is not just about wrinkles. your skin could be losing volume. revitalift volume filler from l'oreal my personal skincare expert with our highest concentration of hyaluronic acid. use daily- l'oreal volume filler penetrates to volumize skin surface layers. cheeks are fuller. hollows under the eyes less pronounced. wrinkles, smoother. revitalift volume filler from l'oreal skin expert paris i can see the difference here and here. we're worth it.

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well, you know peter sarsgaard from his roles in "garden state," and most recently, "black mass." >> now, he's in "the experimenter," a psychologist criticized for conducting the obedience experiments of the early 1960s. >> peter is with us. good morning. good to see you. >> good morning. >> we were talking at the commercial break. all of us have some recollection of this experiment, but this is a wild ride. a lot of people are wondering, who is this guy and what attr t attracted you to this film? >> well, i think he's someone that a lot of us may know kind

of vaguely. social scientists whose most famous experiment was in the early 1960s, which was about obedience to authority. >> go on. >> specifically, blind obedience to malevolent authority. the way in which we abandon our own personal beliefs about what's right and wrong and follow the beliefs of someone who might be up to no good. >> i'm thinking he was shocking, having the teacher shock the learner. >> well, the shocks were not real, but you thought you were shocking someone. the person being shocked was an actor. the other person in the room, who was the doctor, was an actor. he didn't believe he looked enough like an authority figure. >> yeah. >> so he would be in the other room, and he would come in as the assistant in the end and ask questions. >> fascinating to watch about human behavior. that people would pause. they knew they shouldn't do it. after the pause, they'd turn and do it because they felt they were -- >> they had to do it. >> -- obligated. >> the thing for me, people

point to the fact that 65% of people went all the way to the most extreme shock, even after the guy was stream icreaming, a stopped screaming. not one opened the door. to me, i see that there are few sadists. i find that comforting. no one laid on the switch happily. people are weeping. people are laughing uncomfortably. you know, i also got to sing in the movie and act with an elephant. >> variety. >> there's a lot. there was a beard. >> the beard might be one of the most exciting parts of the movie. he had a famous beard. >> nothing like the beard you have now. >> is that an enhanced beard or all you? >> you kidding me? it's a completely fake beard. i shot "black mass" on either side of making this movie. i don't have a beard in "black mass." >> no. >> we have a little bit of fun with it. the first time you see the beard, you know, abraham lincoln had the same beard. it's a beard with no mustache. i don't recommend anyone trying

this at home. >> we recommend the film. it is awesome. peter, great to talk to you. >> great. >> "the experimenter" is in theaters tomorrow, available on that detergent was like half the price! and we'll have to use like double! maybe more! i'm going back to the store? yes you are. dish issues? get cascade complete. one pac cleans tough food better than 6 pacs of the bargain brand combined. cascade. now that's clean. yothat's lactaid®.k! right. 100% real milk, just without the lactose. so, no discomfort?

exactly. try some... mmm, it is real milk. lactaid®. 100% real milk. no discomfort. coverage this morning... ==topvo== ..as drs good morning. 9:26. continuing coverage this morning in the east bay where drivers are being warned about a sinkhole that continues to grow. this is on alvarado boulevard. they worked overnight to try to limit the damage, but it still doubled in size and now covers more than 800 square feet. crews expect the street to remain closed at least through today and parents with children who attend the school there were told this morning to allow extra i'm for dropoff and pickup. >> happening today, millions of people across the state and

around the world bracing for the metaphorical big one. the annual great shakeout, a drill focused on earthquake preparedness. students will watch a special presentation on quake safety and then participate in the drill practicing drop, cover, hold on. students across the bay area are participating in similar drills. even b.a.r.t. jumping on board, they will trigger their quake alarm system which will immediately slow all trains after the big shaker. we have a look at a weather and traffic right after the break.

traffic ck san jose 101/280/680 sponsor good morning. i'm kari hall. look for a mix of sun and clouds and passing light shower. south bay, expect a high of 84. redwood city, 75. north bay, up to 79. oakland at 76 and danville look for a high of 85. let's check in now with mig to

s mike. a live look at san jose, nice smooth drive. we still have the orange and red and down to even 20 in a couple key spots. but again, just seeing it easing up across the san mateo bridge. west wound 92 showing better speeds. a crash around golden gate fi d fields has cleared. more local news for you in a half hour. taking a look at the

headlines. it was a travel nightmare last night at many of the nation's airports when a glitch shut down the system for checking passenger names against terror watch lists. the system for down for 90 minutes leading to long lines for those arriving from overseas. officials call it a technical problem and not the result of hacking. the government is out with an ominous warning about the effect of dietary supplements. the cdc says 23,000 people a year go to emergency rooms because of weight-loss body building or energy supplements or vitamins. that's more than the number going to the er because of prescription stimulants. cardiac problems from weight loss and energy products led to many of those e rrr visits. when it comes to bone health, a new study is suggesting a benefit from

drinking black tea. researchers in australia looked at data from more than 1,000 elderly women and found those who drank at least three cups of black tea every day had a 42% lower risk of hip fracture and 34% lower risk of spinal fracture than those who hardly ever drank tea. more studies are needing to find out why. a new survey of working moms finds job security is the most important factor when choosing a place to work. 66% of those surveyed by the worker mother research institute said job s'erity was the key factor, followed by 40% who said it was flexibility. 31% said money and benefits. 48% of those surveyed say they have trouble juggling work and personal life. greece is hoping tourists will help it get out of financial ruin. it is raising the cost to get into top attractions. as of next year, visiting the acropolis, which cost $14, will

set you back $60. travel agents fear the higher prices won't solve the debt crisis but will only keep more tourists away. here is the fish tale a group of scuba divers will be telling for a while. off the coast of portugal, that is a giant sunfish. big enough to swallow the divers if it wanted to. sunfish would rather eat jelly fish, which is a good thing. they weigh 2,200 pounds. this one though, probably more than that. as you see there, the man looks tiny next to him. let's head down to new orleans for a check of the weather from mr. roker. hey, al. >> thank you good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. we have some clouds in the south bay, a couple of nearby light showers. elsewhere we have mostly sunny skies. temperatures in the lower 60s. expect a high of 73 today in san

francisco. in the north bay, 83 degrees. east bay, topping out at 80. tri-valley up to 86 and 78 in the peninsula. in the south bay, still have a chance of rain, but skies clearing later on this afternoon and a high topping out at 85. >> that's your latest weather. again, america, you have my tanks for not wanting to put willie in that little speedo. >> thank you, al. >> okay. we have with us two-time emmy winner sarah silverman. she's known for her comedy, which she put to use in hbo's stand-up special, "we are miracles. i love that one. and the sarah silverman program. her newest project is different, playing a suburban wife and mother trying to hide her depression. spiraling out of control.

>> it's complicated, but i saw a doctor who was really, really smart. and he helped me sort through my problems. and now i'm better. >> wow. >> sarah silverman is with us. good morning, ms. silverman. how are you? >> i'm well. how are you? >> good. i'm watching this movie, been a big sarah silverman all my life, and herecomes a totally different sarah silverman. one critic said this is a career-changing performance for you, and i couldn't agree more. you're unbelievable in this movie. who is laney, this character? >> laney is a, you know, suburban housewife, a mother and -- with a great family who is a drug addict, who suffers from depression and is self-medicating. i think she's living in a state

of -- you know, they say theif live in the past, it's depression and the if you live in the future, it's anxiety. if we're perfect people, be in the moment. she is living in anxiety. she's in a constant state of, what if? what if i ruin my kids? you know. there's no room for anything else when you're like that. i think she -- it becomes maybe a self-fulfilled prophesy. she -- yeah. >> i read when you heard that the film was going forward and that it was getting funding, you had sort of a mixed reaction. initially, it was yes, but then fare. >> ye-- fear. >> i mean, it was an e-mail and i replied all and said, "yay." then i collapsed on my bathroom

floor in a full-body panic attack. i thought, i can't do this. what if i can't -- amidst my panic, i went, wait a minute, this is where laney is always. maybe i can do this. >> wow, you did it and did a great job. you faced it. when you watch yourself in a film like this and see it up against your stand-up acts, how is that for you? >> it was awesome to watch different clips and see the -- i think it was the pilot of the sarah silverman program, where i go, nice sunglasses and now they're floor glasses. just stupid. >> is it true that you were on howard stern talking about your battle with depression when the novelist, because this is based on a book -- >> amy koppelman. >> heard you and called you? >> she was driving on the west side highway, listening to howard, and i was on, talking about my book, "the bedwetter," and talking about my own relationship with depression.

she just connected with it and imagined me as laney and couldn't get her out of her head, lucky for me. >> i'm glad she did. you were stunning in this. people will look at you in a different way. >> they're in my ear right now, sarah. obviously, you pushed the limit in your career. that's why you're a superstar. they're telling me to ask you -- >> voices in your head. >> we're getting tweets. it's not appropriate for willie geist to wear this. you have angry tweets. this is wrong. you pushed the limit. willie wants to do it. he wants your permission. >> i don't want to. help me out. >> is that your body in the picture, or is that -- >> it's a little swarthy. >> that's a no, right? >> i think -- i don't think you should wear it. i think you should wear nothing at all. >> oh! >> the human body is a beautiful

thing. >> there you go. sarah silverman is upping the ante. >> you're strong. >> i was trying to help you out. >> i'm outmanned here. >> body image move. >> it's appropriate for tv? >> yes. the human body. it'll be taboo for five seconds, then we'll all get over it. we'll be advanced and more like european. >> most importantly, we'll raise money for breast cancer research. >> we won't be able to unsee that. >> breast cancer research, we should do a free nipple thing. >> now she's on to something. >> we'll discuss it later. >> we should discuss it now. >> sarah silverman. "i smile back." do yourself a favor and check it out. thanks, sarah. >> thank you. up next, our 16 to 16 up next, our 16 to 16 challenge team. look, up next, our 16 to 16 challenge team. the wolf was huffing and puffing. like you do sometimes, grandpa? well, when you have copd,

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16 challenge, helping three "today" viewers and you at home lose weight by the new year. today, it's about staying healthy at work. >> they all work full time in different areas. jen that wna wolfe and joy baue here to help. let's talk about how much they've lost. you have the balloons to represent the weight loss. >> if you can blur your eyes, we have a 16 year. 16 and 16. we're losing 16 pounds by january. >> okay. first up, mary jean. this week, she lost another pound and a half for a total of 15.5 pounds. >> all right! [ applause ] >> nicely done. >> rachelle, she lost another two pounds for a total of ten pounds. >> well done. [ applause ] >> last, we have ken who lost another three pounds, down a total of 12 pounds.

[ applause ] >> if you can imagine in just one month, they've lost just about 40 pounds collectively. >> that's awesome. >> unbelievable. >> fantastic. >> you look great. everybody feeling good? feeling betbetter? >> very much. >> great. >> let's talk about your job. you sit behind a desk all day. >> in front of a computer. >> hard to get good nutritious choices. end up eating the same thing over and over. >> every day. >> what can she do, joy? >> people with office jobs, brown bag your lunch. you'll save calories and also save cash. you're not going to be tempted by what your co-workers are ordering, which is normally pizza or burgers. in your bag, this is a turkey and swiss rollup. i take a low carb tortilla wrap. add produce and car not arot anr

to wash it down. >> doable. >> how about working out? >> at your desk, you can't get up, sit up straight and squeeze your glutes as hard as you can. now that they're squeezed, stomach is tight, football shuffle your feet really hard. for the first 20 seconds, you'll feel like you're not doing anything. do this a minute on, ten seconds off, minute on, ten seconds off. do it three times every half hour, every hour of the day. you'll feel it here and here. >> great. thanks. >> very good. >> keep working. >> won't bother your office mates. >> rachelle works at home. >> right. >> you have kids. >> i do. >> so you have the luxury of your kitchen, right, which is a bonus. i wanted to come up with something that was adult friendly and kid friendly so you didn't have to make two different meals. who doesn't love a grilled cheese? >> the best. >> so these are standard grilled cheese sandwiches for your kids. every kid of every age wants a grilled cheese, and they're on

whole grain bread. if you can sneak in a tomato slice, bonus. for you, i'll make it open faced so you have double the bites. i'm adding sauteed kale and carammelizamelized onions. you can do this with a non-stick spray. couple it with tomato or vegetable soup, you're good to go. >> it looks really good. >> it does. >> looks good. >> what about for working out in? >> i love this one move to do at home every once in a while. works your shoulders, core and legs. you're sitting on a bench. first without a bench, get down, put your hands in a pushup position. legs to the left of your hand. right and left. when you work up, i want you to take a chair and really ctry to get yourself over the bench. it's challenging but you'll work to it. works every muscle in your body.

>> like an acrobat. >> ken, you're driving around all day, making sales calls, right? >> yes. >> whether he's in the airport or you're on the road, i want people to see that fast food is doable. when you stop at a rest stop, you can get a grilled chicken sandwi sandwich. pile on the lettuce, tomato. little ketchup, totally fine. get a salad. most fast foods have light dressing. bottle of water. if you're really hungry, get a second sandwich. just remove the bun and double decker on the first one. >> i like it. >> parking lot workout. start at the back corner, give me a squat, sprint to the front. >> you want to do it? >> squat and shuffle back. it's easy but you'll feel it. squat and run to the front, squat, run to the side. >> five and five. >> we'll see you next weeks.

you can head to today.com to get these recipes and more workouts. >> nicely done. coming up next, joy, cover your ears, we have the most expensive philly cheese steak make tonight white dchicken chili night!? start with bush's white chili beans, simmered in our flavorful chili sauce. then add rotisserie chicken... punch it up with a little heat... and a few ingredients from your pantry.

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every weekday and late night. yeah. things are definitely looking up. get 1/2 price apps late afternoons, and as always, late night. new and only at applebee's. wow. >> it's the end of the show. guess what we have? this is according to records now. one of the most expensive cheesesteaks in the world. $120. it's from philadelphia, where i lived for four years. they say it's the most expensive. >> is it the most delicious? >> we'll taste it. >> rib eye, truffle cheese on a sesame roll. if you've been to philly, this is not traditional. usually it's a regular roll. >> it's delicious. >> you get your cheese. >> truffle cheese? >> never had it. >> the price includes a half

bottle of champagne. >> where's the champagne? >> it's been on the menu since the restaurant opened ten years ago. >> it's delicious. >> think we have $120 laying around? >> we got that for free, thank goodness. back in a moment. this is "today" on nbc. why let someone else have all the fun? the sometimes haphazard, never boring fun.

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what did we miss? >> we missed willie in a borat suit. >> wow. >> you know what, is that comfortable? >> can you see that happening? >> yes. >> all the right places. >> we like to see willie any way we can get him. you'll also see rumer willis and amb i'm ... ==anim== a follow up...

==vo== last month's valley wildfire is now being called the good morning. 9:56. followup for you. now the costly east in eight years, the valley fire cost more than $1.5 billion in damages.

not only is it the worst wildfire since 2007, it's the fifth worse in u.s. history. let's check your weather this morning. >> we'll see a mix of sun and clouds. still a slight chance of showers as we go through the morning, but most should clear out by afternoon. it will be humid today with a high of 86 in the tri-valley. san francisco topping out at 73 and 83 in the north bay. in the south bay, look for a high of 85 and peninsula with a high of 78. a little bit more humidity and a mix of sun and clouds. let's see how the roads are moving now with mike. we have late issue over here by the coliseum north bound 880, it jams from about 98th all the way up to the flashing lights at the high street off-ramp. map shows you how close it is toward the coliseum. bay bridge toll plaza slow. rest of the bay starting to thin

out and ease up across the san mateo bridge. embarcadero off-ramp still slow after an earlier crash has cleared. >> another update in half an hour.

from nbc news, this is "today" with kathie lee gifford and hoda kotb. live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> oh, to hear what goes on before -- >> the pregame. >> the pregame. it's thrifty thursday. it's thursday, october 15th. you know what today is? >> what is it? >> global hand washing day. please think about that after -- >> when you leave the restroom. >> yeah. >> we got it. >> this is "we're taking over" by dee miller. we had her on our show. she was good. >> yeah.