early edition. going to have a nice one. >> i'm going to sleep. that's what i'm going to do. >> we'll see you next week, as well. have a great weekend, everyone. royal riot. student protesters in london attack a car carrying prince charles and camilla. we'll go live to london with the latest and how it happened and how they're doing. tax cut backlash. how democrats rally against president obama and reject his compromise with republican leaders. >> this was a take it or leave it deal. we are saying, leave it. >> so are the democrats in disarray? we'll ask the head of their party in aex collusive live intervie. designer mystery. a designer is found dead at an exclusive new york city hotel. former boyfriend the son of an oscar-winning composer is questioned in the possible murder. we'll take you inside the

investigation early this friday we'll take you inside the investigation early this friday morning, december 10th, 2010. captioning funded by cbs chilly friday morning. 18 degrees as i was walking across the park this morning. good morning, all. i'm harry smith. >> i'm rebecca jarvis. feels like 18 degrees outside. >> sure does. we'll get to the weather in a moment with dave price. first, the royals yesterday. there's prince charles and camilla in an limo. protesters in london because college tuition hikes skyrocketing there and yesterday was a big vote in parliament. protests out of control and they ended up engulfed with the protesters and people say how could this happen? >> of course they pay very high taxes there and expect something for those taxes. these are the austerity measures. we begin in london where this

morning citizens are asking serious questions about the prince's security team. cbs news correspondent elizabeth palmer is outside buckingham palace with more on yesterday's protests. good morning, liz. >> reporter: good morning, well, as you can see things are back to normal this morning, walk. but the violence yesterday in london was the very worst in at least a decade and certainly never in living memory has a mob turned on members of the royal family. >> charles, how are you doing? >> reporter: things turned ugly driving into a group of protesters who shouted "off with their heads" smashed a window and splattered the car with paint. their police escort came to the rescue and the couple unharmed but clearly shocked arrived safely at a variety show where they picked up their royal duties. >> i can tell you that they were whipped through to hospitality and camilla had something of a stiff brandy to calm the nerves.

>> reporter: earlier in the afternoon, thousands of students demonstrated in central london against a government move to triple the tuition fees to very 14,000 a year. sporadic pushing and shoving with the police gradually escalated with mounted officers brought in to break up the crowds. as night fell, things got violent. some lit fires, others attacked public buildings. but it's the attack on the royal car that's grabbing the headlines this morning. >> yesterday was a to roly disgraceful incident and there will be a very full and detailed criminal inquiry. >> reporter: for the trip home from the royal gala last night, prince charles and wife weren't taking any chances. they traveled in an armored police van. obviously, there are serious questions about how they could have got anywhere near the protesters. police say they did clear the route just before but a small group of protesters was moving fast across the city and by the

time the royal car turned the corner, there they were just an unlucky coincidence. this is going to have security implications for the arrangem t arrangements for the royal wedding. >> good point. thank you very much, elizabeth palmer in london. here's harry. now the argument on capitol hill where late last night house democrats voted not to take up the tax deal worked out between president obama and republican leaders. at least not in its current form. cbs news senior white house correspondent bill plante has the latest. bill, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, harry. the white house is signaling it will accept some minor changes in the deal but they say there's absolutely no give on the big items and the president is suggesting that there could be some severe economic consequences if it doesn't pass. >> this agreement would boost economic growth in the coming years and has the potential to create millions of jobs. but if the framework fails, the

reverse is true. americans would see it in smaller paychecks that would have the effect of fewer jobs. >> reporter: but 54 defiant democrats in the house say they won't support the current deal the white house reached with republicans. >> we were told yesterday by the vice president this was a take it or leave it deal. we are saying, leave it. >> what unfettered greed on their part to do something which benefits a very, very, very few. >> reporter: the biggest sticking points for house democrats, the extension of the bush era tax cuts for families making more than $250,000 a year. and the agreement on the estate tax which would raise the inheritance amount exempted from tax from $3.5 million and reduce the tax rate and there's parts the democrats support, specifically a one-year payroll tax cut and a 13-month extension of unemployment benefits. in an interview with npr released just this morning, the

president makes clear that the compromise is still a work in progress. >> keep in mind we didn't actually write a bill. we put forward a framework. i'm confident that the framework is going to look like the one that we put forward. >> reporter: well that, framework would cost about $900 billion and another sticking point. but there's a test vote in the senate probably tomorrow and if enough people vote for it that could put pressure on the house to move it forward. harry? >> bill plante at the white house this morning, thank you. joining us now exclusively from washington is chairman and former virginia governor tim kaine. governor, good morning. >> good to be with you. >> we know that democrats and republicans basically all want these bush tax cuts which are, you know, due to expire at the end of the year. they want them to go forward. democrats are arguing saying we'd rather have a quarter million dollars or millionaires taxed on that. president says that's not going to happen. are house democrats playing chicken with this and are they willing to drive off the cliff

to make a point? >> harry, i don't think they're willing to drive off the cliff because nobody wants to get to january 1 and see people hurt. middle class and low-income working people see the taxes go up from 10% to 15%, 50% increase on january 1. and we've got to have an extension of unemployment benefits and so you see the house doing what legislative body always will is they're going to tinker around with it trying to find their own adjustments but the framework is a set one. we have to make these tax cut policies stick. for the two-year extension come january 1 so americans don't get hurt and spur more economic growth. >> is this end up being really just posturing or theater then? because a lot of democrats come from heavily democratic districts easily re-elected in the election in november. they have to be able to show supporters, look, we have a spine. we didn't cave on the deal. >> well, that may be part of what's going on. again, may be adjustments as the

president indicated off the framework but no matter what kind of district you live in, you have people that will be hurt if the tax cuts expire. the president didn't like having to agree to a situation that would accept the notion that those at the top end don't have expiring tax cuts but we won't let americans get hurt. >> what is the chance -- i mean, this gets extended is a two-year extension. assume the economy's much better two years from now and assume you have a republican-dominated congress. is there any chance the taxes go back into effect? >> well, i think so. look. by extending it two years, i think this is going to happen, you're putting the debate about tax cuts for the wealthiest in the heart of the presidential election and a national plea beside on important policies. i think the president feels calm and confident to make the case during the campaign that we shouldn't be extending the tax cuts for the wealthiest and

putting that right in the laps of the american public and they can make that decision in 2012. >> serious question with 30 seconds left. any real chance that the tax cuts are left to expire at the end of the year? >> i think there's virtually no chance. this is about governing, harry, and congress has got to govern now because the american people are counting on them to do the right thing. >> governor tim kaine, we always appreciate your time. thanks very much. >> thank you. time now for a check of the headlines. jeff glor at the news desk. good morning. >> good morning to you and to you at home. this morning, in oslo, this year's nobel peace prize an the inwe are was not there. he's behind bars in china. chinese democracy activist liu xiaobo represented by an empty chair. he's serving a 11-year sentence on subversion charges and this morning president obama said the case is a reminder that dignity depends on the advance of democracy. sarah palin travels to haiti this weekend as part of humanitarian mission.

that and plans to visit israel and england next summer might be a move to boost the foreign policy credentials but focusing on the deficit in morning in a piece for "wall street journal" she says we're on a path to bankruptcy and took aim at the president obama's deficit-cutting commission saying it exposes the administration's quote reckless spend now tax later policies. and added the commission endorses the use of death panel-like rationing. she called to replace obama-care with a new system. the faa is working to fix a potential security problem this morning. important ownership information on a third of the 357,000 planes registered in the u.s. is missing. that includes both private and commercial aircrafts. the records are so incomplete it's believed possible a terrorist could buy a plane without the government knowing it. next year the faa will begin requiring owners to re-register.

in argentina this morning, a cruise ship damaged with 88 american tourists on board is safely back in port. cbs news correspondent mark phillips with more from london this morning. good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, jeff s. an adventure is what they wanted and probably more than they bargained for. for the people on board, it didn't always seem that it would end well. the cruise ship "the clelia ii" limped into port in argentina. the storm damage visible where storm waves knocked out some of the communications and engine control equipment. the american tourists on board seemed relieved to be back near solid ground. >> we had 15-meter seas. 45 feet. and it was very difficult. and so the ship had to face into the storm to keep us safe. >> reporter: and it was quite a

storm. the area of the southern ocean between south america and antarctica lived up to its reputation for strong winds and huge seas. another cruise ship, the national geographic explorer stood by as the captain of the "c 4re lelia ii" tried to keep into the storm. it prevented any serious injuries to the 165 passengers and crew on board. a weather map of the area today still shows the storm the ship passed through. it left a lasting impression. >> it would go from side to side. you know? the side to side bothered me more than the going them, you know? but it was pretty exciting. i got my money's worth. >> reporter: the cruise ship costs between $8.5 million and $15 million. the southern ocean in the

latitudes is known as the roaring 40s. the furious 50s and the screaming 60s. now the passengers know why. jeff? >> money buys a lot of seasickness bags. thank you. finally, it's a holiday tradition that began with president coolidge in 1923 and last night president obama and his family lit the national christmas tree. the tree, a colorado blue spruce. now, 42 feet tall, grows on ellipse south of the white house. on this friday morning,

>> another storm system over the pacific northwest, watch those passes along i-90. snow and heavy snow as you head to higher elevations. a lot going on. rebecca, over to you. >> thank you. plans set for the funeral tomorrow afternoon of elizabeth edwards. they'll hear tributes of daughter and friends but not her estranged husband. correspondent elaine quijano is in raleigh, north carolina. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. this is where the funeral will take place. personal deeply meaning for the edwards' family. elizabeth edwards will be remembered by friends and family tomorrow in a ceremony

celebrating her life. two close friends and elizabeth's 28-year-old daughter cate will have the difficult task of offering eulogies. >> she's been through so much, losing her brother and now her mom. she's very strong and has so much of her mother in her. >> reporter: estranged husband john will not be speaking at the service. it will be held at edenton street united methodist church in raleigh, a very close to the edwards' family. it's where their 16-year-old son wade's funeral was neld 1996. elizabeth will then be laid to rest right next to his grave. a place she visited every day for years after he died. >> every day i would sit beside him on a blanket with a thermos of water and i would read the bible aloud to the place on the ground underwhich he was buried. >> reporter: as the final wishes for her burial are honored so are the dreams for her children's futures. john will continue to raise emma claire, 12, and jack, just 10.

>> it was very important to elizabeth that the father of her children be in good shape and that he be able to carry on and live a good life and live a good life for jack and emma. you know, she felt good about that. >> reporter: the funeral service is open to the public. and media cameras are being allowed inside. the burial at a nearby cemetery will be private. rebeck cc rebecca? >> thank you. still ahead this morning, a swim suit designer found dead at a high-end manhattan bathroom in a bathtub full of water. a possible murder. also, don't let your christmas tree turn into a torch. here's the photos to prove it really can happen. we have important safety tips. plus, women are not having mammograms. we'll look at the disturbing new numbers and the risks they face. that's coming up on "the early show" on cbs. ibbons managing my diabetes.

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people in new york are buzzing about this story from downtown, a place called soho house, which is super exclusive, hip, hip, hip place a. young woman, swimsuit diner found dead in a bathtub there. people are questioning the -- the police are questioning a former boyfriend, a lot of speculation about this and we'll into the investigation a bit. >> a very creepy story. also ahead, christmas trees, we all know they're beautiful. >> uh-huh. >> but not when they do this, they light on fire because of an electrical fire. we are telling you how to protect yourself this holiday. >> all that and more coming up on "the early show." >> announcer: this portion of "the early show" sponsored by kay jewelers. every kiss begins with kay! trus. ho-ho-ho-ho-ho. - introducing charmed memories from kay, the number one jewelry store in america.

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sydnie kohara... the suspect in an east bay chase it's 7:25. time for news headlines from cbs 5. i'm robert lyles. the suspect in an east bay chase in custody this morning. it ended when the car ran off eastbound i-80 and crashed into a fence in berkeley. police say the suspect tried to run over an officer but no officers were hurt. amber yust is suing the department of motor vehicles. the transgender woman says she went to a dmv office in san francisco to register her sex change. she says she later received a letter from a dmv clerk that that she was evil and should die. no comment from dmv. and more than five hours on a plane and never leaving the airport. that is the story from

passengers on a qantas flight from san francisco to australia. the plane had electrical problems that eventually cancelled the flight after it waited on the tarmac for much of the day. no fine though. rules against such long delays only apply to domestic airlines. traffic and weather around the bay area coming right up. stay with us. ,, [ bell rings ] what are you doing, friending somebody? yeah. you got time for that? you got time to earn more on your savings, online at capitalone.com. that's new school banking, baby! instead of earning squatootski... your savings will be earning three times the national average. now, let's review. capital one interestplus savings... at three times more. go to capitalone.com. what's in your wallet?

good morning. let's go out to the east bay. westbound 24 right before you get to the caldecott tunnel, we have an accident already been cleared to the right shoulder but it is slow right now as you head out of orinda and into oakland towards the macarthur maze. bay bridge toll plaza, we're starting to see a bit of a backup now. overall, not too bad, though. i would call this friday light. backed up just to the end of the parking lot almost beyond the first overcrossing. they did cancel a fog advisory for the bay bridge but we still have metering lights turned on around 6:30. golden gate bridge a lot of fog. let's get a check of your forecast with tracy. >> plenty of fog out there again this morning along with the fog some scattered showers, especially in the north bay. the san rafael area looking at light rainfall moving into concord and richmond and into oakland. forecast for today, fog for the morning, cloudy skies, small chance of a passing shower through the afternoon with a mix of sun and clouds. 70s on the weekend with plenty of sunshine.

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it is a little chilly out there. people have the warmth in their hearts, though. you can tell that. welcome back. brett favre, a football legend, serial wrangler jean wearer and guy who's played every week for what? 20 seasons just about. he could miss this week's game. some of it is injury, some of is nfl close to deciding whether he should be suspended for the alleged e-mail messages sent to a sideline reporter. the soap opera that is brett favre goes on ad nauseam. the latest in a little bit. >> developing story.

also, he hasn't thrown a football since sunday. what will happen this weekend? also, do brace yourself with a big favor. before you put the lights on the tree, you want to make sure that they're safe. because if they're worn out or broken, well, your tree could be like this in a matter of seconds. susan koeppen with a series of holiday safety tips. how to look for a tree not dangerous. will not go that way. >> good advice. first, though, this shocking death here in new york city. a young fashion designer's body found in a high-end manhattan hotel thursday. and the son of an oscar-winning composer may be a suspect. jeff glor is here with the story. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. she was found dead in a bathtub in the room and now it appears police are now turning to her former boyfriend for answers. early thursday morning, police responded to a 911 call from the soho house, an upscale hotel in manhattan's meat packing

district. made trendy by the series "sex and the city." there, in a bathtub overflowing with water, the partially clothed body of a swim suit designer whose work is featured around the country. >> i don't think any of us would expect a place like soho house to be the location of a murder. >> reporter: red marks on her neck suggest she might have been strangled. several vials of prescription pills also found in the room that were full. people that knew her said she'd recently broken up with her boyfriend, 27-year-old niklas brooks and checked into the hotel with him a few weeks earlier. brooks was questioned by police and late e released, son of composer joseph brooks, academy award winner in 1978 for "you light up my life." the elder brooks gain notoriety after being indicted in 2009 for 85 counts of sex-related crimes.

the death has stunned loved ones. in a statement, her publicist said it was her magnetic energy, sincere kindness and generosity with friends and family that she will be best remembered for. she will be deeply and painfully missed. other ges said they heard loud noises from the room in the night. the medical examiner not yet released a cause of death. harry? >> jeff, thanks. joining us, criminalologist casey jordan. good morning. >> good morning. >> niklas brooks is questioned by police but at what poiblt can the authorities start to look at the credit card traffic, the e-mail, his texting? do they need subpoenas for all of that? at what point can they delve into -- i mean, what might be the electronic trail this terms of the time he was ab is frent the hotel room? >> i think they're already doing that and that's why they're questioning him. the good news for the investigation is that this hotel's going to have excellent security. we know that they have a record

from the cameras in the hotels of the coming and going. the report of the water in the ceiling came through around 2:30 a.m. he returned around 3:30 a.m. and he wasn't in the hotel when she was discovered but looking at everything. where was he in the early morning hours of yesterday and what is his alibi and when was the last time he saw her? what was her condition? >> because we'll assume there's surveillance cameras in that hotel like that and strips on the keys to opening in and out of the hotel and the room and the bars there. so they can trace all of that stuff because there were also complaints in the hotel about news from room -- noise from that room and looking to see what time the call came in. >> absolutely. again, anybody else in the room, they'll know that, too. so it could just be a process of elimination. if he is the only person seen and the card swipe indicates that he was the only other person in that room at the time

that the death happened, and again, we don't know whether it's a homicide, an accident, a suicide -- >> right. >> natural causes. we should know shortly. >> it is interesting. all of this stuff is off the record, what was in and out of the room, marks apparently on her neck. >> correct. >> you hear all of this stuff ends up coming to us and a pill bottle. if you're among the investigators, what are the questions you're asking yourself as you're surveying this scene? >> well, the pill bottle was closed. it is prescription medication. not illegal. could be anything. probably just regular medication. going to get a toxicology report from the autopsy and find out, of course, whether there's drugs, alcohol vofld in the death but to me most interesting she was partially clothed. sweater, underwear on. nobody takes a bath in the clothes. taps are on. water overflowing apparently. checking the marks, could be a bite mark on the hand ft they'll look for signs of a struggle.

no big smashed furniture or anything. they're going to ask was she drowned, held under the water, strangled? unconscious from an overdose?

this could be a crucial weekend for brett favre as the nfl may be ready to rule on the alleged harassment of a former new york jets employee and the patience is running out. cbs news correspondent betty nguyen reports. >> reporter: former new york jet sideline reporter jenn sterger is telling the nfl to decide punishment for favre soon. she met with league officials a

month ago. >> i'm going back to the hotel. just chill. love to have you come over tonight. >> reporter: this week the manager said he feared the league dragging the feet and in a radio interview thursday talked about what his client would like to see happen. >> if the commissioner su spends favre and puts a program in place to prevent it from happening again, 100% jenn would not pursue litigation against favre. >> reporter: unclear when and if the quarterback might be disciplined. with four games left in favre's last season. >> i'm done. my career speaks for itself. i think it's been a great career. >> reporter: the married father of two acknowledges leaving the voice mails and adamantly denies sending any inappropriate photos, even dead spin reported the messages from the same phone. >> i think it's safe to say that the league cares a lot. he's a marquee guy. >> reporter: favre's 20th season is the toughest of his career, no doubt. >> the ball is intercepted.

>> reporter: the vikings have little hope of making the playoffs and after this crushing hit, the 41-year-old streak of 298 consecutive nfl starts is also in jeopardy. >> you know, in sports you really want to see the drama happen on the field as you called ate soap opera. well, people are sick of the soap operas. >> a little tired of it. thanks very much. up next, christmas decorations can be dangerous. we'll show you how to avoid the most common fire hazards this holiday season. so stay tuned. we'll be right back.

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[ female announcer ] stay jolly with walgreens. now's the time for stringing the lights and trimming the tree but before you do, are your decorations dangerous? "early show" consumer correspondent susan koeppen is here with a heads up. good morning. >> good morning. counterfeit extension cords and christmas tree fires are major concerns in the holiday time so as you dust off your old christmas decorations this season, be careful because they just might be a serious fire hazard. the lights, the trees, the

decorations. it could be a beautiful time of year but also dangerous. >> people are using more energy than they're used to. i think, you know, you have more things around that can catch fire. >> reporter: christmas tree fires cause more than $16 million worth of property damage each year. holiday lights account for nearly 9 million in damage. >> it's very important that you're making sure that the devices are safe in your home. >> reporter: to see firsthand what happens when decorations turn disastrous, we went to the state farm research lab outside chicago. on this christmas tree, we put a string of lights with a frayed wire. watch what happens when we plug it. the wire starts to smoke, within a minute there's flames. at two minutes, the tree is totally engulfed. >> we are in a controlled laboratory setting with probably 30 to 40-foot ceiling. >> reporter: experts from the electrical safety fell ration international say counterfeit

lights and extension cords can be a huge problem in the holidays. >> many times using less expensive materials that cause the fire itself. the wires in the devices would not support the load you are looking for. it is a dangerous situation. >> reporter: in this test, we put a counterfeit extension cord with a space heater. first smoke, then fire. >> it caught fire so quickly there was even surprising to me. the fact is if that's behind a couch, it could start a home fire. >> reporter: to keep safe, experts say never overload outlets. inspect decorations for loose fires. buy lights and cords from trusted retailers and always unplug decorations before leaving home or going to bed. >> respect electricity. it is great when it works and unforgiving to set a home fire. >> so if you're going out, buying a real tree, make sure you're buying a fresh tree. look at the needles.

make sure they're fresh and green and not falling off. very important, once you get it home, make sure you water that tree. >> right. >> a dry tree if there's a problem can go up like that. in a snap. also, make sure you keep it at least three feet away from any sort of heat source so you don't have a problem that way. >> one of the things i noticed on this one, you have the cool led lights on there. >> right. so led, consider getting new christmas lights. >> right. >> instead of the old lights, go out for brand new lights. led, much cooler to the touch than normal christmas lights. also can save you some money on the electric bill. >> thank you so much. we'll be right back. you're watching "the early show" on cbs. always easy. ♪ picking a free detergent is. switch to tide free & gentle in the white and blue bottle. no other free detergent is milder on skin and unlike the leading free detergent, it removes more residue from dirt, food, and stains.

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police have issued a mountain ning in belmont. it is 7:55. time for cbs 5 news headlines. i'm sydnie kohara. police have issued a mountain lion warning in belmont believing that it's responsible for a dead deer found on the ralston middle school field. the carcasses would discovered in an area regularly used for school p.e. classes. muni working to give travelers a smoother ride. lately several lines have seen an increase in short terms or switchbacks. riders are often forced off the train before reaching their destinations. the agency is looking into changes that will keep travelers from being stranded. and that santa claus fired from the macy's in union square for telling what some say was a naughty joke he starts his in us job today.

santa john will be at lefty o'doul's down the street starting tonight at 5:00 to listen to christmas wishes. he will be there 7 days a greek 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. traffic and weather right after this. ,,,,,,,,,,

good morning. the billing story is the fog and reduced visibility. as you come from marin, here's a live look across the golden gate bridge . can't see much in

the distance. it is friday light across the bay area. so far, so good in oakland. no bottlenecks in the northbound lanes as you pass the coliseum. the bay bridge, it's very light. they cancelled a fog advisory. metering lights are on. but not much of a backup at all as you approach the toll plaza. and checking the ride along the peninsula, look at that, 101 sluggish up northbound 101 through san mateo but otherwise 101 and 280 look good. that's your traffic. here's tracy with your forecast. hey, thanks, elizabeth. we do still have some fog out there this morning. especially along the coastline. and we also have something else coming in crossing the golden gate bridge. rainfall and scattered showers through mill valley down through san francisco. headed towards berkeley and oakland. forecast for today, cloudy, fog, scattered showers, yeah, they are in the forecast through the afternoon. and it is a small chance but we're still keeping it in there. sunshine saturday, sunday and monday. ,,

hey, you got groceries! yeah! i thought we'd eat at home. save some money. $200 bucks? that's not saving! [jacks voice] at my place i'm bringing back the bonus jack. two patties, melting cheese and my secret sauce plus fries and a drink for only $3.99. i get it. you can eat a lot cheaper at your place than you can at home. but do have this? i have dessert. what about this? ohhh. ohhhhhh. jack. that's for max.

nice crowd on nice crowd out on the plaza. people in the holiday spirit. >> they're happy. >> very good. welcome back to the "early show," everybody. i'm harry smith along with rebecca jarvis. be honest. nothing bet tlaern getting stuff for free. >> we all love free. >> we do like free. >> this morning we'll show you holiday gifts that you can have for nothing. i know that sounds impossible. >> yeah. >> some require a little bit of an explanation. >> hmm. >> and we'll do that for you, and show you thousahow to get f stuff in a little bit. >> no such thing as a free lunch, i keep thinking. looking forward to that one. >> you are the financial expert.

you would say that. we'll try and explain as best we can. >> absolutely. also coming up, doctors have known early detection of breast cancer using mammograms leads to the very best treatment results. so why do only half of women over 40 get mammograms? we'll look at a new study many are calling vi disturbing and get advice that could save many, many live, harry. >> that's coming up, too. first, back inside. jeff glor is at the newsdesk. >> good morning to you and good morning to you at home once again. british officials launched a criminal investigation now into a major security breach involving the royal family. the car carrying prince charles and his wife camilla was attacked last night by student demonstrators protesting a tuition hike. up to 20 protesters ran up to the car, broke a window and had paint and eggs. >> the prince and duchess were not hurt. thousands battled police through the day after parliament voted to increase college tuition

there. the last fiscal year the government spent $60 million on household costs for the royals, a figure only slightly increased this year. the government voted to twipal university tuition to $14,000 a year to help controlled deficits. president obama believes congress will approve a tax compromise he agreed to with republican leaders, but democrats are still rejecting the plan to extend tax breaks. meeting last night, house democrats voted not to allow that proposal to reach the house floor for a vote. during the meeting some democrats chanted, "just say no." they insist on changes to scale back tax breaks for the rich. >> this was a take it or leave it deal. we're saying, leave it. >> the white house says it's open to other yuds. >> if somebody can figure out how to get -- to make the agreement better for everybody, as bob barker would say, come on down. >> the senate is scheduled to vote on a reworked version

monday. jury deliberations in the elizabeth smart kidnapping case resume this morning. nobody arg guying the facts of the case. the issue is the mental competence of the defendant. john blackstone is at the courthouse in salt lake city with more on this case. john, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, jeff. well, during closing arguments here elizabeth smart sat beside her parents in the front row of the courtroom and listened as the defense attorney admitted brian mitchell kidnapped her and raped her repeatedly over nine months. but, he said, mitchell believes he was acting on orders direct from god. elizabeth smart now 23 showed little emotion as the horror she endured were detailed again at the trial's closing. ryan mitchell, her accused kidnapper was not in court to hear closing arguments. throughout the tile he's been removed from the courtroom for continue wale singing hymns. his defense attorneys argue he's not guilty by reason of insanity. prosecutors say it's all part of an ct by a master manipulator.

psychiatrist michael wilner testified for prosecution mitchell was not insane but had plenty of problems. >> my diagnosis of him was pedophilia, narcissistic personality disorder, antisocial disorder with psychopathic features. >> reporter: he was taken out of court on a stretcher after suffering a seizure. the defense says he suffers from delusions bolstered by mitchell's only father. >> the only sane thing for sang people to do -- >> reporter: mitchell said god told him to take smart as lis celestial wife. once elizabeth smart walked out of the courtroom as a defense psychiatrist suggested he selected baby names with mitchell. on the stand herself smart described the night mitchell took her from her own bed. i remember him saying she testified i have a knife to your neck. get out of bed and come with me or i will kill you and your family.

>> i hope that god rewards her for her courage in the future and gives her a peaceful life, because she certainly paid her dues. >> reporter: the jury deliberated for three hours into the evening. they returned here this morning to continue. john blackstone, cbs news, salt lake city. the nobel peace winter not make it to the awards because he was behind bars in china. liu xiaobo was represented by an empty chair. president obama called forli u's u's -- for his release from jail. nobel winner for nobel casting in 1989. a lot of people don't remember that, jeff. nice to see you. what a great crowd out here. people from all over the country. from new jersey and california.

cal state-fullerton, right? 2010 grad right here. what's your name? >> candice. >> and your major? >> advertising. >> and you, you're graduating? >> i graduated in may 2010. still looking for a job. >> where do you want to work? >> anywhere. >> okay. well, you're glee graphically placeable. where did you live now? >> anaheim, california. >> where can we get your resume? >> i'll give you my e-mail address and send it your way. >> i can't hire you. >> you can find me on facebook. >> there we go. let's give this woman a job. how about it? nice 20 see you. let's take a check of the

this weather report, sponsored by macy's. yeah. that's a quick look at your weather picture. good morning tore a cup of coffee you're thinking. all right.

over to you, remember bekaa. new figures show surprisingly few women are having mammograms. why that can be a fatal mistake. this is "the early show" on cbs. mistake. this is the "early show" on cbs. ! there it is. ah! hurry up. you're heavy. are you sure these letters will get to santa? yes, of course. hold still. almost there. a little bit higher. i can't hold you up much longer. ah! whoa! [ all giggle ] ♪ hi, fellas. hi, virginia. why are you on the floor? [ female announcer ] bring your letter to santa into macy's and we'll donate to the make-a-wish® foundation. together, we'll collect a million reasons to believe. [ laughter ] ♪ [ male announcer ] for tim and richard smucker, giving a gift of their delicious jam always made the holidays just a little bit sweeter. we forgot to put our names on them! richard, i think they'll know who it's from. ♪

thank you, boys. you're welcome. you're welcome. [ male announcer ] happy holidays from our family to yours. i love christmas. from our family to yours. thank you for calling usa pmy name peggy. peggy, yes, i'd like to redeem my reward points for a gift card. tell points please? 250,000. calculating... ooh! answer: five fifty! 550 bucks?! 5 dollar, 50 cents. minus redeeming charge. leaving 50 cents. say what? happy time! what kind of program is this? want better rewards? switch to discover. america's number 1 cash rewards program. it pays to discover. and the life you want to live. with rheumatoid arthritis, there's the life you live... fortunately there's enbrel, the #1 most doctor-prescribed biologic medicine for ra. enbrel can help relieve pain, stiffness, fatigue, and stop joint damage. because enbrel suppresses your immune system, it may lower your ability to fight infections.

serious, sometimes fatal, events including infections, tuberculosis, lymphoma, and other cancers, and nervous system and blood disorders have occurred. before starting enbrel, your doctor should test you for tuberculosis. ask your doctor if you live or have lived in an area where certain fungal infections are common. don't start enbrel if you have an infection like the flu. tell your doctor if you're prone to infections, have cuts or sores, have had hepatitis b, have been treated for heart failure, or if, while on enbrel, you experience persistent fever, bruising, bleeding, or paleness. ask your rheumatologist if enbrel is right for you. and help bridge the gap between the life you live... and the life you want to live. ♪ [ female announcer ] the newest seasonal flavors are here. ♪ express yourself ♪ [ female announcer ] because. it's better when you add your flavor. coffee-mate. from nestle.

in this morning's in this morning's "healthwatch," fighting breast cancer. elizabeth edwards six-year battle wit disease which ended with her death on tuesday put a spotlight on the importance of early detection. a startling new study reveals only half of women over 40 are getting annual mammogram. the best way to find breast cancer early. joinings now, dr. holly philips. great to have you with us. >> thank you. >> and of course, there have been so many mixed signals around what to do. what are the latest guidelines when it comes to mammograms? >> very much so. talking mixed signals, it started last november when an independent tank force suggested women should start mammograms at age 50 and only get them every

two years but the american cancer society and the cancer institute never embraced this or changed recommendations. they still recommend mammograms for women over 40 yearly and earlier if you have a family history. >> how helpful are they in early detection? >> mammograms are a proven effective training tool. they pick up cancer early when it's most treatable. of course, no test is perfect. mammograms can often pick up things that aren't cancer, but look like cancer. women end up getting extra biopsies and screeningened many women have concern answer radiation. the overall feeling is that the risks are really small in comparison to the benefits. >> so the benefits outweigh the riskses? >> absolutely. >> when it comes to getting the best kind of mammogram is there differ renation in terms of the services you're getting and where do you go for the best advice? >> after primary care doctor, where they feel you should go. number one, make sure the

facility is fda certified. you're getting the most up to date screening methods. also, transfer your previous mammograms, if you use add different facility before, make sure they receive those old films, or a disc off the mammogram results on a disc. they can compare the two and you get a more accurate result. women should not schedule a mammogram a week before their period, because you might get swelling that can make the mammogram difficult to read and finally, a lot of women don't know this. you shouldn't wear deodorant. that can actually cause a shadowing on the mammogram that might raise concerns that really shouldn't be there. >> surprising and a little disturbing there are mammogram machines that wouldn't be fda approved that are in circulation. >> true. some of the facilities really are trying to use some of the older machines. most of them are fda certified but it's a good go ask when you make your appointment. >> in terms of other things women can do for early detection other than simply getting that annual mammogram what do you recommend? >> early detection is the best

way we know to get treatment started early, and save lives. prevention is also important. one of the things that is most important is for women to maintain a healthy weight. excess fatty tissues raises estrogen, raising your risk of breast cancer. getting out there and exercising. eating a diet full of fruits and vegetable, all of these things can cut down on your risk later on in your life. >> thank you for being with us. great information. coming up next, if you're looking for a nice stocking stuffer, but you don't want to pay for it, we have ideas for you. we have presents that you can get for free. that's right. free. right here on "the early show" on cbs. cbs "healthwatch," sponsored by breathe right. for drug-free congestion relief, breathe better, sleep better. breathe right. breathe right! ht. next day it took forever to get going. night after night, i sat up. sprayed up. took a shower... or took a pill. then i tried

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nice. all we've been shown you perfect presents starting with gifts under $100 men moved to $50 then 25 then 10. this morning ending with a bang, gifts you can get for free. regina lewis is here with the goods. good morning. >> thank you, harry. >> a lot of cool stuff here. >> yeah. >> all for free? >> this is was a fun one to research. i was pleasantly surprised to see what we could do. >> what's your first one? >> at bath & body works they have a neat deal, buy one get

one free you see that all the time this coupon available on their site. the neat thing you only have to spend $10 and actually get an item for $13 or less, your choice. so it's not what they pick but what you pick. >> ooh. maybe worth a little more than the thing initially purchased. >> which is rare. that's actually better than buy one get one free. we bought something for $10.50 and walked out with something just under 13 for free. >> what are these. >> these are really neat. kodak on their website giving away something called mommy cards. what is fun you sends in a photo of your kids and put your number, i know i'm constantly writing my e-mail on napkins for play dates. >> very cool. >> you get 50 of these for free. all you have to do is pay the 3.99 to have them shipped. pretty good deal and they are lovely. >> all do you, then you just e-mail them the picture and they send these things back to you? >> correct, within a week.

i was impressed. 50 is a lot and you can have more professional card, a family card, any card you want to design. >> very nice. all right a lot of people, i mean, the guys from amazon the other day said kindle is still their biggest selling whatever. people have kindles and ipads nothing is free about either of those things. >> no. no. >> but? >> but, you can load them up with free things. literally more than 16,000 free book titles, various articles, they also have songs you can put on these things for free. the trick has always been finding the free books with the books you have to pay for. so on cbs news.com we've actually linked to a.m. son where you can download free titless to either device and a whole list here you can pick and choose. if you are giving this as a gift you can load it up with thoughtful books you think they would like and they open it and they're off to the races. >> i'm looking at the titles we

joked during the commercials, what titles self-help books by criminals and whatever? look at these "beauty and the beast" "little women" jane austin, charles dickens. >> trying to build a fan base, makes sense. >> all right. go to our website to figure out how to do. this i can get "spin" magazine for free. >> you can if you are a music lover. the sup description is free for a year. you have to fill out information about other interests, what you do for a living, this kind of thing because they want you to sample trade magazines they offer, a sampling program for them. what do we care? >> basically like this one and the kodak one, they are looking for information but so at the end of the day they have information they can use, valuable to them and they are happy to give you a free magazine. >> as rebecca said before there is no such thing as a free lunch but this is a air from trade trying to cultivate a relationship, to sample other magazines or get you to walk in

the store, trying to get your e-mail address to market to you. we'll take it. >> okay. this is -- that's pretty good. what do we do with our american express? >> american express, if you are a cardholder, you have $25 free dollars to work with up until december 31st. if you shop at any small business not affiliated with a major franchise, so an independent owned and operated store, they know who they are. >> their small business campaign. >> they extended it, very successful. if you go to a small business owner and buy something for $25 on your statement i spoke with american express you will see a credit for $25. why wouldn't you do that. >> how cool. one time. >> one-time free deal. >> you can't go to all the little businesses and spends it? >> nice try. no. >> that's still pretty nice. >> still good. >> what is this here? >> this is at barnes & noble, a tin of tea. you get 30 tea bags, the containers are beautiful, a high-end store opening a tea gallery here in new york city. you go in there and have to be a barnes & noticeable member, that's the exchange.

>> sure. sure. >> we sign up for free. >> were i also say if you are a barnes & noticeable member, the books are cheaper. >> yes. >> i think it is actually worth it, right. >> it is. this tin is lovely, $11 and you get another one free. >> what? >> yeah. >> you sign up, pay $11 and get a tin. >> you walk out with two of those and they are pretty classy. >> he they are. you know what, it smells good when you open it. >> it does smell good. >> smell that. >> love it, love it. tea is in. >> what's the deal with the sweaters? >> old navy offering the buy one get one free. what's neat about the offer you can mix and match, a woman's sweater, men's swit ter, kids sweater whatever you need obviously the same as getting 50 off but shopping with your sister or someone else and only need one sweater and split the cost, that's saving 75% off. >> you can buy your sweater and get your kid one. >> that's what people are doing, getting themselves one. >> thank you very much, good stuff. >> yeah.

>> for more, all you need to go to our website earlyshow.cbsnews.com. still ahead you have pet questions, our dr.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

are looking for a man who tried to make contact with a nine year walking home fr it is 8:25. time tore news headlines from cbs 5. i'm sydnie kohara. petaluma police are looking for a man who tried to make contact with a 9-year-old girl walking home from school. police say the man was watching her when he rang her home door weather. she didn't answer and the man drove away in a gray older model box style van. federal transportation officials are providing an additional $624 million to california for high-speed rail construction. it's part of redirection from wisconsin to ohio to states more eager to build rail lines. today a judge in alameda will hear arguments on whether two case related to education funding should go forward. parents and civil rights groups

have sued the governor. they say the state is failing to provide students a level of education required boot california constitution. traffic and weather around the bay area coming right up. stay with us. ,, ,,,, seven years ago, i had this idea. ,,,, to make baby food the way moms would. happybaby strives to make the best organic baby food.

in a business like ours, personal connections are so important. we use our american express open gold card to further those connections. last year we took dozens of trips using membership rewards points to meet with the farmers that grow our sweet potatoes and merchants that sell our product. we've gone from being in 5 stores to 7,500. booming is using points to make connections good morning in fremont, southbound 880 approaching mowry avenue crash is on the shoulder. it's still backed up in the area jammed to at least fremont boulevard north. out to rohnert parkway now

southbound 101 a two car crash injuries reported. where it looks good is in the south bay northbound traffic out of downtown san jose, still in the clear. it's usually a bottleneck there on those northbound lanes of 280 approaching the 880 interchange. quiet there as well as the san mateo bridge commute direction 14 minutes out to foster city and the peninsula. that's your traffic. here's tracy with your forecast. hey, thanks, elizabeth. forecast for this morning, yeah, we got some rainfall moving into the bay area. those showers are going to be fairly light in nature. but we will keep them in the forecast during the day. most of them moving out to the east bay but in san francisco, we're seeing some light drizzle and more of them just off the coastline here that's going to be moving in. forecast, cloudy conditions, scattered showers, temperatures in the upper 50s to the mid- 60s. sunshine back in the forecast as early as tomorrow, saturday, sunday and even monday, with warmer temperatures. and more rainfall back in the forecast as well tuesday, wednesday and thursday.

[ mom ] my son only wanted one toy this year. i want a robosan 4000. [ mom ] the one no one could get. toy stores are reporting long lines and empty shelves. a robosan 4000. [ mom ] and i mean no one. so i did most of my holiday shopping on citi specials. with the money i saved, i bid online -and got exactly what he wanted. -a robosan 4000! [ television ] introducing the new robosan 5000. [ mom ] at least for now. [ male announcer ] make your happy holiday stories come true with citi specials.

what's your story? citi can help you write it. ♪ ♪ good morning, everybody. welcome back to the "early show." people in a festive spirit. >> this time of year. >> you feel it. >> very festive. >> when you see people walking down the street with antlers on their heads, you get a clue. coming up, an inspiring story from make-a-wish foundation. we'll see how a teenage dancers is realizing her dream, despite a serious illness. we'll also get the latest numbers on the macy's belief campaign and show you how you can support the foundation's fantastic work a. good time to

do good work. and our doctor here answering holiday related pet confers from traveling to eating poisonous plants. and more of our best of the worst segment where we help you choose the lesser of two evils when it comes to holiday food and drink and everything else. question. la is better or worse? eggnog or cocoa? >> i choose both. >> you could drink both a good choice. another question, what's worse, gingerbread or sugar cookies? >> questions for the -- >> tough questions that may never be answered, until this morning. >> in just a few minutes. >> yep. >> thank goodness. >> aren't you glad? >> yes. what would we do? first, though, the japanese company sanrio, creator of the iconic hello kitty celebrates its 50th anniversary right now. one of the biggest hello kitty fans is here with us this morning, actress kelsey chow. remember her from the series "one tree hill" and others.

good morning. >> good morning. you come bearing gifts. >> i love it. that's for you. >> that's for you. >> thank you. >> yeah. >> hello, kitty. >> and this is for you. >> oh, hi. >> perfect. thank you. >> it's the perfect thing. >> serious question. are you a hello kitty person? >> i mean, i am. we're here celebrating the 50th anniversary of sanrio with the small gift mobile truck and it just completed its 15 city kross country tour and ends right here at "the early show." >> i bet there's stuff you can get on the truck you can't get anywhere else? >> true. a lot of limited edition collections everything from yachtsy, monopoly to head bands. >> we need one that's a little bigger for harry. >> yeah. check these out. >> look at these -- clothes. >> sure. >> the gloves. >> get these. >> take a look. >> a lot of fun accessory, and

it's very multigenerational. my sister has a lot. i had a lot. so -- amazing. >> yeah. >> what's this guy's name? >> that is badtz-maru. >> my personal favorite. >> thank you very, very much. dave is here with a friday final get ready for the weekend check of the weather. how are you doing, young man? >> i'm well. so you guys are asking, which you should have on christmas? whether you should have eggnog or cocoa? this guy mumbles, "gin." >> holy smokes. >> his wife goes, or vodka. >> so -- this is to announce we're all spending the holidays with these to. where you from?

i met a new friend from fort orange, florida, who's here today. you're a long way from plus-50 degrees temperatures. telling you that. nice to see you. that's quick look at your weather picture. harry, inside to you. >> thanks, dave. today is macy's national believe day. highlighting the great work of the make-a-wish foundation, which makes dreams come true for seriously ill children. recently we met a teenager with an autoimmune disorder that threatened her passion for dancing. cbs news correspondent michelle mill hear her story. >> reporter: 16-year-old katerina diaz was alone with her mother in new jersey.

when not in the classroom, this honor student spends most of her free time on the dance floor. >> i've had this weird obsession with dance since i was little. just choreographing things for my mom and grandma. even at a young age. >> reporter: last year the music nearly stopped after experiencing numbness in her limbs and exhaustion. katerina was diagnosed with mixed connective tissue disease. >> there was a time there right before and after she was hospitalized that she couldn't do anything for herself. i had to feed her. i had to bathe her. i had never experienced that in my life with her, except when she was a baby. >> reporter: with countless hours of hard work and a remarkable will, katerina became an accomplished performer but financial limitations were holding her back. her doctors suggested the make-a-wish foundation. >> my wish was to dance at the performing arts center, i would love to go there and be in their company. i would learn so much nap would be an amazing experience.

>> reporter: katerina spent four months with the top-rated company. her instructors marvel at her effort and her dancing. >> a switch in there. tricky. >> well, i'm glad she's able to dance, and that she's surviving this disease as best as she possibly can. >> reporter: katerina is focused on it's future. she wants to attend college and perhaps one day repay the kindness bestowed on her by teaching others to dance. >> i've seen the amazing things that people like robin can do for the studio and you get to be in dance and teach it to people and then get to help people. >> thank you, make-a-wish foundation. >> and macy's executive vice president martine reardon is here with more. good morning. >> good morning, harry. >> so it is national believe day today. >> it is. >> where does that mean exactly? >> we're hoping everybody's going believe in a much bigger way today. we've got very special wishes that we are granting with the

make-a-wish foundation called wishes across america, and it is something that the make-a-wish foundation does all year long, but this special day because of national believe day we're granting 50 wishes across the country simultaneously. so a very big deal for all of us. >> and one of the wishes is going to come true for 7-year-old nakita from pittsburgh. >> her wish was to have a princess bedroom makeover. so she's getting her wish, and today she's going to come to our macy's downtown pittsburgh store and be treated like a princess herself, where she'll be greeted by all of our associates, get her own special tiara and a wonderful shopping spree. >> that's great. and special on macy's national believe day, day for 15-year-old ivy from alaska. >> ivy's very special wish was to create her own music video, and so she has done that. and a premiere party was done in seattle, and macy's gave her the red carpet treatment by giving her a makeover, a stylist and we

got her ready for her first media interview. >> how about cory from madison, ohio? >> core hey just one very wonderful, simple, wish. to cook with a french at the french culinary institute. he'll do that today here in new york. we're very excited for all of our make-a-wish children. >> it is also double donation day. which means what? >> that means for every letter that is mailed today at macy's in any of our stores across the country, $2 for every letter received versus the $1 we've been doing all the way through the program. a very special idea. i encourage everyone to get in and drop off their letters in the mailboxes. >> we've been keeping track since the beginning, since you came on a couple weeksation. what is our number? >> $677,808. so we are three quarters of the way there. so i encourage everybody to get out there, mail your letter. come to macy's. drop it off, especially today for a $2 donation.

>> make it keep going up. we want to stick you for the $1 million. >> i know. and we're happy to do that. >> martine, thank you so much. >> thank you. for more on macy's believe campaign, all you need to do is go to our website, earlyshow.cbsnews.com. rebecca. thank you, harry. the holidays can create a particular set of issues for your pets. our resident vet is with us. the doctor is here to answer some of your questions. great to see you. >> good morning. >> of course, we have pets along with us for the ride. >> that's right. they're here just to help us represent the pet kingdom during the holidays. you have kingston who is a -- adorable chihuahua. >> this is david a 4 1/2-month-old adorable kitten and a 6-month-old guinea pig, whinny, all animals from the humane society of new york and do need homes. >> and very well behaved right here on set. we want to get to our viewer questions. first to skype and elizabeth in georgia has this question.

>> good morning. my dog and i have quite a job to visit my family for the holidays. so we wondering if you had any tips or advice to help make our holiday travel safer and less stressful for both of us. >> very good question, elizabeth. a couple of things preliminarily. call ahead and make sure it's going to be okay with everybody at your destination to bring the dog along. you want to make sure there's not going to be anyone there with allergies an also if there's going to be restrictions where your dog will be able to eat and sleep, you need to know that in advance and have the dog checked out quickly with the veterinarian to get a clean bill of health before you go. finally, gear can you take to make the trip easier. take a big blanket or you can go to the pet store and buy these big covers for your seats. cover the seats and protect them from all the hair that's going to accumulate. also, if there's an accident that will protect your car and be sure and take a portable water bowl. want to have a fresh glass of water. >> okay, david. david is answering, too. >> you want fresh water for the

entire trip. i recommend you not feed your dog about three or four hours before the trip. that way if there's a little of motion sickness you won't have to deal with vomiting while driving. safe travels to you. >> good information. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> all right. we're going to facebook now where patti asks, how do you prevent a 3-year-old kitten from eating plants? i would love to have some poinsettias but i'm worried our kittens who love to eat plants would go after them? >> very much like david, i'm sure he could get to the plants around here. he would. trying to eat my mike. let me say, poinsettias, poinsettias, depending where you're from, are not as poisonous as you think. they can cause a mild irritation, butty don't have to worry about it killing your pet. keep all your plants awray from your kitten. good thing to do hang them so they can't get to them and not near a shelf or the back of a claire nap will be a launching pad. or here's a trick. buy a little repellent. spray it on the plant so it's

nontoxic to the plant but noxious to the plant. help me out here, david. and spray a little juice, citrus juice concentrate, orange juice. >> they don't like that? >> they don't like the smell. it's too strong and that will help keep them away g. to know. to chicago for a question from michelle berry. >> holiday, hot chocolate, other kinds of foods dangerous for pets? >> again, another great question, rebeccrebecca. we over eat during holidays, that's fine for us. it's not great for your pet. keep them away from any human food. i'm going to be the grinch that stole the pet holiday food christmas. i say, don't give them any human food. keep their kibble on the table. if they come to the table and you want them to enjoy the festivity, give them their own food. none of our food. onion, garlic, bones, chocolate, raisins, there's a long list of foods that can do real damage to your pets.

>> buy the pet treats instead? >> buy them their own and give them their own if you want to include them in the celebration. none of human foods. richness, butter. all can have gastronomic events. you don't want that with a house full of company. >> facebook, asking, my kids want a pet but i don't. a common problem for many. what do you tell them without hurting their feeling? >> you know, i really understand, however, i would say this, first of all. for those who do want to get their kids a pet during the holiday, do not, do not do not -- this is the wrong time. too much activity. you don't have time to give to the training and socialization. so wait until afterwards. in fact i have here a box with a gift wrapped leash and a bowl. if you want to give your child a pet for a gift, then wait until after the holiday. put this under the tree and then in january, after all the busyness has died down, you go out together as a family, take your time and get the right pet

for everyone. to what was said, remind your child it's a big responsibility. it's like raising a child. until you're ready to give that commitment, i say, don't do it. >> we have one last xib question that is from valerie in staten island from xskype. take a listen. >> we have a beagle who get quiets excited whenever guest, coming over now with the holidays. she has a habit of jumping up. i need information, how i can prevent that and curb the energy. >> she's a beagle, if she's young. two thing working against you. for you, safe to putter in a room and lock her away from the front door right now. >> okay. >> and then after the holidays try to train her not to do that. >> very good. thank you. >> thank you. >> great information. remember, all of these pets, you can get them from -- >> from the humane society of new york. go to our website. there's a link to theirs to get more information. >> they are wonderful. thank you so much. now here's harry.

>> thanks, guys. 'tis the season to be full of cheer, but sometimes we get too full at the holiday buffet and the choices are not always that good. so registered dietitian cynthia is here to help us choose what we call the best of the worst. we always enjoy this segment. good morning, how are you? >> terrific, thanks. >> all right. so we're looking at, you know, cocktail hour, somebody says would you like a glass of red or white wine. is one less calories than the other? >> the answer is, no. they're the same calories. however, red does have an advantage. it has more antioxidants because the skins aren't removed. that gives it the gorgeous color, and those antioxidants protect blood vessels in your heart and arteries, shown to reduce the risk of cancer. the truth, they both are good hdl cholesterol and both reduce inflammation in the body. you're kind of okay with either one but you might -- >> you've given the holiday seal of approval to hundreds of people. drink wine. >> thumbs up. >> i'm the one to choose which

is which? >> champagne and christmas cosmo. which is nutritionally superior? >> oh, nutritionally -- maybe the one with the cranberry juice. >> the answer is the bubbly. order 80 calories per flute. this has sweetened gr eed cranbd lime juice. adds about five cubes of sugar to that drink. >> oh. champagne, much preferable? >> yes. >> here? >> eggnog versus hot chocolate. >> seems like hot chocolate would be the -- >> you're right there. get this. the eggnog, cup for cup, twice the calories. three times the fat, even when the hot cocoa is made with whole milk, because the main ingredients in eggnog are eggs and heavy cream. go thinks with. the antioxidants in the cocoa relax blood vessels open up circulation, less stress on the heart. lower blood pressure. skim milk, knock off another 50 calories and eliminate the

saturated fat. you can put whipped cream on the top. >> live large. choosing between the santa christmas sugar cookie and the gingerbread man. >> yes. what do you think? >> i would rather have the sugar cookie. >> you know what? >> i'm just going to have it. >> the gingerbread man is bet are for you but there's a trick. you have to bite off the head, arms an leg and leave the torso. if you do that, you'll have fewer calories, but here's what i love about gingerbread men. the men ingredient is molasses, chock full of minerals. one tablespoon has 10% or more daily needs for iron, magnesium and calcium and almost twice at much potassium as a banana. go for the gingerbread man. >> should we be having this every morning? a tablespoon of molasses? >> put it in a smoothie. i love it. >> really? >> yeah. great for this time of year, too. >> if you're going to have the gingerbread man, bite off the -- >> yes. leave the torso.

fudge and a browny. two typical treats around this time of year. >> i've got to guess the brownsy probably better. >> right. the fudge, main ingredients, butter and sugar. mostly what you get per bite. the browny mostly is sifted flour and cocoa. go with the browny you save 70 calories for this amount. 130 versus 200 but cut your fat and sugar in half. >> man. 130. just -- >> i know. you have to savor every morsel, is the trick, i think. >> if i had to choose between the sugar cookie, the browny -- oh. >> all sort of good for new some way. >> aunt sally has a lovely layered cake. >> coconut cake. >> and cheesecake. i've got to guess, is this cake better that -- i don't know. i don't know which is which. >> the truth is it's coconut cake is better nutritionally. about the same calories. 400 for these portions. the great news about coconut, it's a heart-healthy fat. helps reduce belly fat, rev up your metabolism.

20 grams of saturated fat. for the whole day, saturated fat in that one serving. go for the coconut cake. >> go for the -- >> sorry. that was good. interesting stuff. thank you, cynthia. appreciate it. >> happy holidays, thank you. be right back. you're watching "the early show" on cbs. re watching the "early show" on cbs,, [ male announcer ] whether you're new to california or you've been grooving here for some time now, you know that value comes in many forms. for some it's a classic car, for others a profession that lets them give back to the next generation. for many californians, it's a medicare plan that gives them more for their money. with anthem blue cross, you can get a medicare advantage ppo plan that offers $0 premiums and prescription drug coverage,

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a friday morning. doesn't that look great. >> skating. >> let's go over there now. >> may i ask you a question. >> of course. >> you are hosting the saturday early show as per usual. is there something particular we should pay attention to? >> actually there is. tomorrow we'll talk about how to increase the value of your home but at the same time cut expenses for your home. >> very good. >> with do-it-yourself network's matt blasha, an expert in this

type of thing. >> he is g. >> to prove he is a real man jeff has,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

spect who allegedl good morning. time now 8:55. i'm robert lyles with cbs 5 headlines. a suspect who allegedly tried to run over an oakland police officer during a chase is now in custody. the pursuit began in oakland at 5:30 this morning. it ended when the car crashed into a fence on the frontage road near university avenue in berkeley. a belmont school is on alert this morning after a dead deer was found on a school field. police believe a mountain lion and her cub are responsible. the carcass was discovered yesterday morning at ralston middle school in an area regularly used for school p.e. classes. and this morning, there will be a hearing in san francisco on a plan for governor schwarzenegger to sell state buildings and then lease them back. in a lawsuit, critics of the

plan say it is unconstitutional and will cost the state more money than it saves in the long run. stay exactly where you are. traffic and weather when we return. ,,,, ♪ ♪ you can find your feet and you can find your way ♪ ♪ you can find yourself in bed at the end of the day ♪ ♪ you can find some fun on a tropical isthmus ♪ ♪but you'll never find my...

♪ you can find it in your heart to be patient with me ♪ ♪ you can find a new star for the top of the tree ♪ ♪ i don't mean to be coy and i don't mean to be vicious ♪ ♪ but you'll never find my christmas ♪ all right.

good morning, everyone. let's go out to the eastshore freeway. it is really jammed solid on westbound 80 down to hercules down into university. it seems like people are checking out an ongoing investigation on the frontage road from an earlier accident that involves a high-speed chase near university avenue. it's actually in the eastbound lanes of 80 and no longer lanes are block. but again, just checking out that investigation as well as there's just been reported a crash in pinole on westbound 80 so that might be adding to the delays. meantime almost 50 minutes on westbound 80 from the carquinez bridge to the maze. the bay bridge backup is almost nonexistent. that's your traffic. here's tracy with your forecast. hey, thanks, elizabeth. well, even though we're not expecting a lot of rainfall today, some scattered showers, they are currently in the north bay moving through areas north of san rafael and also have a batch of showers off the coastline here moving in toward mill valley, richmond and berkeley. today cloudy, scattered showers in the afternoon, plenty of sunshine is expected for the

weekend, dry conditions and mild temperatures.