one big win. president obama scores a much-needed victory on tax cuts and today the senate is set for a vote that might end the ban on gays in the military. are we looking at a new era of cooperation? appeal in perugia. the fate of amanda knox rests in the outcome of today's crucial hearing. will the court allow a new look at controversial evidence that could set her free? shipping news, attention last-minute shoppers only seven days remain to ship your gifts in time for christmas. but don't panic, we'll show you the fastest and cheapest ways to get your presents under the tree. we are live at a u.p.s. shipping

center. those stories and more early this saturday morning, december those stories and more early this saturday morning, december 18th, 2010. captioning funded by cbs >> fifth avenue all lit ul. welcome to "the early show." >> i'm russ mitchell. good morning to you. >> morning. >> good to be back in the studio like deja vu all over again. >> great to have you back, russ. >> thank you so much. with you a few weeks, it will be a lot of fun. lot going on today, beginning in washington, d.c., of course, president obama had the huge day yesterday signing the tax cut bill and today congress will take up the don't ask, don't tell policy, we'll have the latest on that and our john dickerson will will be here to discuss it with us. also, the moves taking place in your nostrils these days. >> pleasant. >> the common cold, i know. it is annoying and a frustration but we have steps you can take

in the first 24 hours, minute by mint we'll break it down so it doesn't turn into the nine-day affair so many do. >> it would have been nice if you would have told me a couple days ago. >> i understand. but you will pay attention. the average american gets three of them every season. >> i'll pay attention. our top story as we told you big doings at the nation's capital. president obama signed the tax cut into law friday and could be a turning point for his presidency perhaps setting the stage for another victory as the senate takes up the repeal of don't ask, don't tell in a rare saturday session. our correspondent whit johnson is live with the latest. whit, good morning. >> russ, good morning. good to see you again. by the way, for the next two years, doesn't matter how much money you make, your taxes will not go up. long-term unemployment benefits they'll be extended for another 13 months. still, the democrats have a new more items on their wish list that they hope to check off before christmas. after a series of lengthy debates and negotiations with both republicans and fellow

democrats, president obama could finally declare victory. >> it's a good deal for the american people. this is progress. and that's what he they sent us here to achieve. >> remaining on the agenda for the lame duck congress, is the ratification of the start start nuclear arms reduction treaty with russia, a top priority for the white house. but a vote has yet to be scheduled. >> but, there is nothing, nothing, more important than the s.t.a.r.t. treaty. because it has ramifications far greater than our own country. we know this the holiday season but this is something that we are going to complete before we leave here. >> reporter: this morning's session is a rare one. majority leader harry reid and allies, including independent joe lie berman say after months of debate, they finally have the votes to repeal don't ask, don't tell a policy that bans gay service men and women from serving openly in the military. >> i'm confident, say for now, i'm confident we've got more

than 60 votes. >> reporter: a repeal could go for the president's desk as early as monday. he postponed his holiday travel to hawaii while congress is still in session and won't join his family until later in the week. russ? >> whit johnson at the capital thank you very much. let's take a what this could all mean for. that we turn to john dickerson. good to see you in person good. >> to see you. >> they call president obama the comeback kid. how big a victory was this for him yesterday? >> pretty fast. the election supposedly a repudiation of him and now five weeks later coming back landlord. he gets blamed when things go badly but -- he gets to be in control of the agenda but the long term really the only thing that matters is the economy. this might help with that but we'll have to wait and see to know p if this was a big turning point. >> as you take a look at these pictures, no nancy pelosi or harry reid. how much damage control does the

president have to do in his own party. >> well, right. he put himself in the middle of what he said were two warring factions and some of the people who lost in this deal, nancy pelosi, the leader of the democrats in the house, one of them. he's got damage control to because he's going to need those folks for votes going down the line. and he's going to have some fights with the republicans and he's going to need his side behind him in those fights in the future. >> speaking of republicans, how big a win was this for republicans? >> a big win. they said to the president we're not moving on this tax cut question. you've got to extend the bush tax cuts for everybody and we're going home. it was a game of chicken and the president blinked a little bit on. this but the republicans' big win, of course, was the election and they were able to say to their constituents, look, we have enough power, you gave us the power in the election and we are exercising it for something you care about, a big win for them, too. >> of course health care was bulldozed through congress. the president will not have that luxury with the new congress. are we seeing a new president obama of political prowess here?

>> we are by force. the new congress has a new shape. he will have to do what deon this, say ideologues on the left and right want two things. if left to their devices we'll have a crack-up. i'll step in and be the adult. the problem, this deal both sides basically decided to give the other what they wanted. going foertd the budget deficit has to be taken into some account and in those fights both sides won't be able to give the other side basically what they want and not worry about the cost and that make the fights even harder going forward. >> moving on to the repeal of don't ask, don't tell, as we said congress takes up a rare saturday session today to take that up. looks like it is going to pass. another big victory for the president? >> it will be a victory for the president, not as big as the tax cut but a very pont victory for his base. it's something a lot of democrats care a great deal about. and it's something the president wanted to pass and, also, victories are victoriess, for a president again who is seen damaged by the last election, it's nice to be able to just chalk these victories up on the board and particularly when

you've got democrats angry at but the tax cut deal, nights to say, hey, i'll delivering for you on this other thing you care very much about. >> president's poll numbers still down. the average voter take a look at this and say, you know what, this guy is now doing a good job, his poll numbers may go up? how does the average person look at that? >> i think particularly on the economy they like to look at the president doing something, on the issue they really care about. that's why this tax deal is important because the president said, look, i'm fighting here for the american people and the middle class and that's what folks tell pollsters, they want their politicians in washington fighting for them and getting something done. and so, activity benefits the president again in the same way that inakt hurts him. so, this is a good week, a good way for the president to end this year and he's got a tough one coming ahead of him. >> john dickerson in new york, not washington today. thank you very much. >> thanks, russ. >> good to see you. rebecca with another top story. >> wikileaks founder jooujz released from jail talking to the media.

not on his list of interviews u.s. federal prosecutors considering charges against him. cbs news correspondent elizabeth palmer is live from london with the latest. good morning, liz. >> good morning, julian assange is actually not at the moment charged with anything but wanted for extradition by sweden for questioning in a sexual assault case. he spent nine days waiting for the british courts to decide what to do. and then, last week, a judge freed him. last thursday. out of prison on bail until early january, julian assange is living at the country home of a supporter wearing an electronic monitoring tag and, also, has to report to police once a day. but those, he says, are the least of his worries. >> a bit of a waste of time but not too bad. the bigger issues now is the case that appears to be building against me and possibly other members of our staff in the

united states. >> reporter: cbs news can confirm a federal grand jury is looking into possible charges against him. he's said all along if something catastrophic happens to him or wikileaks, he has a backup plan. supporters of wikileaks around the world have been downloading a file the site calls an insurance policy. the files are encrypted with a code so strong, it's unbreakable, even by governments. but, if anything happens to as and or the website, a key will go out to unlock the files. there would then be no way to stop the information from spreading like wildfire because so many people already have copies. out in the english countryside, julian assange is back at work with wikileaks. ayes got internet access, although he says it's not very fast. but the stream of confidential state department cables is steadily flowing online. meanwhile the man alleged the source of that material, private bradley manning, is in solitary confinement in a military prison

in virginia and reports say there are real worries about the state of his mental health. rebecca? >> liz palmer, thank you. will as and be indicted in the u.s.? joining us from miami to talk about possible criminal charges, former federal prosecutor kendall coffey. thank you for being with us this morning, mr. cofeey. >> thanks, rebecca. >> we know now the attorney general, eric holder has reportedly authorized a criminal investigation into julian assange. what is the likelihood mr. as and will be indicted? >> i think he's almost surely going to be indicted. question look at the comments of the attorney general himself, which are somewhat extraordinary talking about the extreme harm to the national interest. he's talked about the fact there is a significant steps being taken and that this is not sabre rattling. the u.s. department of justice does not engage in games of bluff so i continuing is not a matter of whether he's going to be indicted but how soon. >> that is a good question. how soon, in your estimation, are we going to hear something

about this indictment and hear it actually has happened? >> ordinary, it would be a matter of months because it's not enough for the department of justice to say something really bad happened they have to provide competent evidence of all of the elements of potential crimes but here trying to move at light-speed going behind every rock and blade of grass to make a case against him but they've still got it right and a lot will turn whether bradley manning, you talked about him a moment ago the private first class who allegedly stole the government documents is providing cooperation turning state's evidence turning against as a assange. if he is implicating and incriminating him, this could happen very, very quickly. >> julian assange told our katie couric he was not familiar with this productivity, he had not had contact with this individual. the question really here rides on what the charges will will actually be. the state department, the

justice department or, in that tricky situation of giving a case here but, also, of protecting u.s. interests while doing so. >> exactly. they have don't want, necessarily, to make it a case about u.s. foreign policy where the defense would try to put the state department on trial. on the other hand, they have to send the trongest possible message not only because of harm already inflicted but to sen a very dramatic warning to other potential perpetrators of copy-cat crimes. so, at the end of the day they are plebl going to bring the strongest charges they can and look for conspiracy. we all know the criminal law of conspiracy is often called a prosecutor's best friend. and in a case like this, the prosecutors are going to be wanting to call on their best friend. >> you say it's really not a matter of if but when he's indicted. once indicted, what are the chances of extradition here to the united states? >> chances are very strong. we have excellent extradition treaties with the united kingdom

as well as sweden because he could end up there in a few months but we have to remember extradition involves rights he would have in the courts of those countries to fight extradition. so, that could drag on for a matter of months. extradition is not a matter of overnight delivery. >> as all of this plays out, mr. coffey, what can the u.s. do to protect its interests? we heard in liz palmer's report about this insurance policy, the fact there is this file sitting out there in people's hands whether or not julian assange is taken off the streets or not it is in people's hands. can the u.s. government do anything at this point to protect that information? >> they are no doubt going across the globe right now trying to identify others who could be in the midst of inflicting additional leaks but the answer is, in the internet age in and entirely global environment, potentially leaks and disclosures, they can't prevent it. the only thing they can try to do is use the maximum forces of

our laws to send the most powerful message to whoever around the world might be thinking of making more leaks. the message will be a maximum of punishment we'll extradite you wherever you are and if you do these kind of illegal acts to harm the interests of the united states, you are going to be held fully accountable. >> we appreciate you being with us this morning. thank you. >> hey, thanks, rebecca. >> interesting debate on this americans are having on the one hand julian assange and wikileaks exposing things a lot of folks don't want us to know on the other hand doing something people are saying this is good, some should do this. the government is taking another approach saying it is illegal. interesting debate. >> a fascinating debate also one where there are so many lives at stake, as well. so really high stakes here. >> that is true. that is true. 7:14 on this saturday morning. we'll go to mr. kendis gibson at the news desk. kendis. >> i made a mistake, i'm sorry. it's been a while since i've done this, i apologize. my mistake. let's move on.

bernard may defend's scheme cost an estimated $20 billion. now, they may be getting some of their cash back. armen keteyian reports. >> reporter: one week after 46-year-old mark madoff killed himself in his posh new york city apartment and was quietly cremated without either parent present, the justice department announced a $7.2 billion settlements with the estate of jeffrey pickour, arguably the biggest beneficiary of bernie madoff's massive fraud. >> the agreement resolves a complaint we filed this morning seeking to recover the profits they received over the course of 35 years from bernard madoff. >> reporter: profits that will go a long way paying back the thousands who fell victim to a man once considered a wizard of wall street. folks like george nearenburg umplsts without a doubt a step in the right direction. a lot of other places money is hidden that haven't been

uncovered. >> the 67-year-old died of a heart attack last year at his palm beach mansion. until his death he adamantly denied any involvement on paper a $65 billion scheme a. charge disputed on "60 minutes" by the trustees responsible for recovering as much as possible. >> he got a statement that said his return was 950%. now, this isn't some unsophisticated rube buying these stocks and dealing in this but a very, very sophisticated guy. >> reporter: the settlements triples the money available to pay victims to about $10 billion, about half what is estimated to have been lost in this historic fraud. armen keteyian, cbs news, new york. >> the story just continues to evolve. it's been -- i've followed it from the beginning. >> of course yeah. >> so fascinating and it is interesting to see this as a step in the right direction but i think the point here there are still thousands of investors. >> this was your world, investments banking. >> 100% my world.

>> how shocked were you when this went down. >> an absolute shock but what was most interesting, the number of people who came to me and said i saw bernard madoff's books and they didn't work out in my mind, back in the day before any of this took place. so there, were signs out there beforehand. >> got you, now they tell me it is time to go to cbs news correspondent kendis gibson for the headlines. kendis. >> i appreciate you trying to get me in the show earlier noimplts problem. >> we'll start overseas the korean peninsula, south korea plans to hold military drills on an island near its border with north korea today despite threats from the north of more attacks. south korea says its marines will will hold artillery exercises and respond to any provocation from the north. the korean peninsula has been tense since last month when the communist north shelled the island killing four people. pakistan's top agency is denying claims it helped reveal the name of a cia station chief in islamabad of the cia achieve's cover was blown by pakistani men threatening to sue

the cia over the deaths of his son and brother in 2009 u.s. missile strike. the cia smas recalled the chief after his life was threatened. back in the u.s. now a north texas woman has been found unharmed, hundreds of miles from her home after police say she was abducted during a staged car accident. her alleged kidnappers are in police custody. cbs news correspondent don teague reports. >> reporter: an unusually happy end to a harrowing ordeal. three men in custody after police say they robbed and kidnapped 54-year-old eileen losscot but later let her go. she was found by police nearly 24 hours after she went missing. >> i approached her. she seemed very, very traumatized. >> reporter: she was working the late shift at this dallas printing company. she left at 1:00 a.m. thursday morning. but blocks from home, her car was hit from behind. >> she was approached by the three males in the car. they rushed her. they forced their way into her vehicle and they took her

hostage. >> reporter: two of the abductors forced had tore drive to the dallas suburb of cedar hill, where she can be seen on this bank surveillance video making three atm withdrawals taking out a total of $900. after handing over the money, she was forced into the trunk of her car and driven 650 miles to albuquerque, new mexico, where she and the car were abandoned. instead of calling police, she drove back to texas and contacted authorities this the town of vega. >> she wanted to be in her husband's arms. that's all she wanted, a grateful thing. >> police arrested one machine, a known sex offender after he the other two later turned . themselves in in new mexico. don teague, cbs news, dallas. to california now and the scandal-plagued city of bell reportedly so in debt it may have to cut city services like the police department to stay solvent. "daily times" reports an audit finds it has run a deficit of several million dollars while

the city illegally collected nearly $7 million in taxes. bell's former chief administrative officer and seven other current and former city officials have been charged with misaprepting $5.5 million in public funds. finally, just call him the pop scooper in chief. while visiting an elementary school friday in arlington, virginia, president obama told the kids, when he takes first dog beau for a walk, he does the right thing. >> it's a beautiful building and there's a big yard in the back called the south lawn and so, a lot of times i walk beau at night and that's fun. sometimes i run around with beau, although i have to -- sometimes i have to scoop up his poop. because i don't want to just leave it in the lawn! so, if you guys have a dog, you got to walk your dog, too and clean up after him a little bit. all right, guys, i've got to get going. >> on the president's to-do list, world peace, create jobs and pick up after beau.

who knew. 20 after the hour. not sure exactly the transition from poop to thamplt he's every man, right? >> he is. >> cleaning up after beau. >> the most powerful thing out there. >> there we go. portuguese waterdog at his best. let's talk about weather stories. i've got to tell you i've got huge stories today. a strong storm slamming into the midwest. wait until you hear the numbers with this. bitterly cold air for the northern plains and a fast-moving storm in the southeast. so, that's where i want to start. let's take a look at florida, two places like south carolina right now catching the rain. northern tier seeing snow. where is this storm going? what's it going to do? by tonight it pushes into the atlantic becomes more a storm for the fish but until then a lot of rain from atlanta to miami talking about an inch of rain and north of it nashville to raleigh, north carolina, maybe two to four inches of snow. nothing compared to what's going on out west. flooding concerns along the coast. snow in the mountains. how much rain along the coast? look at this, los angeles picks up four to ten inches of rain and four to eight feet of snow

up in the mountains that's a quick look at a couple of big storms out there, one bigger than the other. here's a closer look at the weather for your weekend. wow, four to eight feet of snow. mamg gin that. russ, rebecca, over you to -- we apparently got the purple memo today. >> that's right. >> we left kind disout. we'll have to remember next time. >> thank you lonnie. coming up a boy is pinned by a 1300-pound boulder and nearly crushed to death. he and the fire chief who rescued him join us exclusively to tell their amazing story. >> later, christmas seven days away. last-minute shopping means last-minute shipping.

u.p.s. will send 24 million packages wednesday alone there. are still ways to get your packages to their destination on time without costing a small fortune. we'll tell you how coming up. ,, ♪ it comes along just once a year ♪ ♪ on winters wings, decembers rear, ahha humbug faces come and dear ♪ ♪ then appears at perfect christmas time. ♪ ♪ a tiny tree, christmas, tinsel, the lights ♪

♪ the star that sings, top your tiny tree, yeah ♪

>> a fascinating story coming up. >> incredible. imagine you are 14 years old playing outside with friends and all of a sudden a 1300-pound boulder comes running after you. it is a true story that happened in georgia and the boy walked away practically unscathed. mirral louse, i think the family would say. we'll be speaking with the boy, charles, his mother and the fire chief because the fire department was called in to rescue him and the rescue went better than anyone could have hoped for. >> fascinating story. also we'll tell you how to get rid of the winter cold. you get that feeling it's just coming on i know any moment it is going to blow up? well, we've got advice this morning to tell you what to do when those symptoms come about your way. >> that is one of those moments you just hate and you want to get past it. i'm glad we're helping people do that. >> yes, me, too.

i would watch that show. >> it looks amazing. >> it does. speaking of shipping stuff, a week before christmas, we'll have tips in a moment what to to get your stuff out on time. have you guys shipped everything, both set with all that stuff. >> not even close. >> wow. >> i would normally got not even close but have everything taken care of. we are doing christmas in florida so no way i can pay for going down with it because you have to pay for every bag and they are stuffed. there are seven kids, all my brothers and sisters have kids. there would be a ba zillion presents, you buy then online and have them shipped there. >> basically, your wife did it is what you are saying. >> the trick is, you did it early and didn't pay like a million dollars to get all the stuff -- >> let's not get crazy, russ.

i did this last week. >> the good news is you still can do it and can still do it at a relatively affordable price. we have that coming up. kendis tell me more. >> i swear my nieces and nephews think december 26th is christmas. by now obviously the young ones is when they get their gifts. it's a holiday in some countries. >> december 26th on the sale day and buy them. >> i go to the walmart and the hess gas station on the 25th. >> a lot of beef jerkey handed out. >> are you kidding or serious about it. >> what, the hess. >> that day you've gone out on christmas -- >> usually christmas eve because i'm working. it is easy to do. they are open and great way to shop. >> i did that one year, went to macy's christmas eve to buy my daughter a barbie doll. >> was it intense. >> the worst experience of my shopping career. it will never happen again. >> you're set. >> good to hear. >> i'll be done, as well.

we have a lot more coming up this morning on "the early show." don't go away. >> good,,,,,,,,

some hearty souls outside in the cold new york morning. we welcome you back to "the early show" early this say today the morning. >> all those people out there are battling the cold for us and a lot of people battle common colds this time of year. >> that's true. >> we get about three a year and there's no cure but this morning we'll show you how to stop a cold before it takes hold in an hour-by-hour strategy. if you are sniffling, good news. >> i hope those people aren't contagious. >> their happiness is. >> today is the buss shopping day of the year but still time for lost-minute shoppers to ship

the gifts in time for christmas. we'll show you how, live from a u.p.s. facility in new york city with the fastest and cheapest ways to ship those gifts. >> that's what we like to hear. first, our top story this half hour a 14-year-old boy in georgia is counting his blessings after he was nearly crushed alive by a boulder weighing over a thousand pounds. amazingly he suffered only one broken bone, in his foolt. joslin collins of our affiliate in atlanta reports. >> reporter: this is a 1300-pound boulder. and this is 14-year-old charles marlowe. he was pinned underneath that massive rock. >> then all of a sudden i looked back when i'm halfway down the hill and looked back and the rock is falling towards me. >> reporter: the boulder rolled down a slope and pinned the teen against another rock sunday as he played near his home. his dad heard terrified screams. >> i tried to lift the rock and couldn't budge it. >> reporter: frantic neighbors pitched in but the boulder wouldn't budge when the marietta fire department was called.

>> the first rock an person i've encountered in 27 years at mayor kret that. >> reporter: the deputy chief supervised the rescue. >> with that we used the hydraulic ram to separate the rocks. as we lifted it, we used the wood cribbing to take up the space. >> reporter: it took firefighters only about 30 minutes to free charles but even more remarkable than that, charles has only one broken bone in his foot. >> i can't explain it. i think god was protecting him. >> reporter: one broken bone and for charles one important lesson. stay away from hills with boulders. will you be going back out there anytime soon? >> nope. i won't be able to make it anytime soon because it's kind of far back for crutches. >> joining us exclusively from atlanta is charles marlowe, his mother, janine and mayor etta assistant fire chief kelly caldwell. good morning to all of you. thanks for being with us. >> good morning. >> good morning. >> good morning. >> charles, starting with you, you are literally looking back and you see a 1300-pound boulder

coming your way. do you try and get out of the way? >> i tried jumping out of the way but it all happened so fast, i mean, i look back, there's a boulder coming, next thing i know i'm on the ground and it's on top of me. >> it has to be just completely unreal to go through this. what was going through your head? >> first, i was thinking this can't be happening, this isn't real. you know, this is not what happens normally and i was thinking how am i going to do anything if i'm on crutches or on a wheelchair because at that point, i thought i was going to be on a wheelchair the next couple months. >> yes. we're glad that didn't come up. in terms of the rock, what did it actually feel like? >> it was almost like a crushing pain but, at the same time, it started, you you know, as it got colder and colder, it got number. so it was kind of a weird feeling. it's not like any other kind of pain you've felt before of. >> janine, as a mother, i can't

imagine what were you going through when you hear charles' friend come running to tell you and his father this has happened, what's going through your head? >> when kayla burst through our door i couldn't even understand what she was saying but we knew it was pretty scary out there. and we were just trying to calm down and get the facts. but, you just -- it was frightening and you want to pray and be calm and do what's best for charles but it was -- it was really scary that day. >> yeah, i can imagine. in terms of doing what wasbest, at first, you and your husband tried to get the rock away from charles but then had to call 911. >> it was actually dan -- our older daughter katherine ann, you know, that tried to call 911 and then i called the neighbors to come help dan and i called my parents and asked them to pray and, you know, it was just to know avail until the marietta fire and rescue got there and were able to -- [ inaudible ].

-- when you arrived on the scene, chief caldwell, what was going through your head? i know you said you had never seen anything like this. how did you determine how to get that rock away? >> well, our first arriving units were an engine company and had a good captain there, seasoned and experienced, 27 years, as well. he and i arrived at the same time. and captain cronin made a great plan immediately. our challenge was getting the equipment from the street all the way back to the woods behind him t. took aus few minutes to get some equipment back there. it took 13 guys to get the equipment back there. they made an initial plan to use hydraulic equipment, made a backup plan to use airbags in case the rock started trying to roll down the hill. the biggest concern for us to stabilize the rock without doing any further damage. >> charles, one last question for you, are ever you ever going to play near boulders again? >> well, when we were younger we used to play on it all the time so it was kind of a freak

accidents and you can't plan these things or really stop them. so, i might. >> how are you recovering? you have your one broken bone, you're on crutches? >> uh-huh. and mostly i'm just, you know, sitting down. so, it's really nice, i can go up the stairs now. >> thank goodness. we're so happy that the recovery is under way and this worked out in a way that is probably the best possible way when a 1300-pound-boulder is coming your way. thank you so much and fire chief caldwell, we really appreciate it. >> thank you very much. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> now here's lonnie with another check of the weather. >> rebecca, good morning to you and to everybody. i understand you have a birthday girl here. what's your name, hon. >> rachel. >> where are you from? >> from chicago. >> and your birthday is today? >> no, monday. >> a birthday trip to new york. >> my birthday present. >> look who we've got here, cindy, lou who? from the grinch who stole christmas.

>> we have to start talking about weather because i have a couple good-sized storms and winter weather advisories but look at, this an interesting sort of comparison, north carolina, at least portions, have a winter weather advisory for possibly two to four inches of snow. yeah, winter weather alerts in the sierra nevada mountains, as well with the potential of four to eight feet of snow. if you take a loot at sat like picture you see the storms, one in the southeast, one on the west coast. in the middle looks pretty good out there. i will say really frigid air around the northern plains with temperatures for a lot of you not out of single digits. we'll have more on that. a quick look at the national picture. here's a closer look at the weather for your weekend.

>> that's apparently the south carolina girls lost their sign here. what's your name? >> robbie. >> ooh, have you got a cold? >> a little bit, yeah. >> so funny and terrible you have a cold but rebecca, you've got all the details on this coming up, i understand. >> fantastic segue, lonnie. we've got her covered and everyone covered. when you feel a cold coming on. time is of the essence, we'll be back with an hour-by-hour strategy to kill your cold before it even takes hold. this is "the early show" on cbs. i'm off to the post office... ok.

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studies show the average person gets about three colds per year. we all know there's no cure but if you feel one coming on there, are some steps you can take to stop it dead in its tracks. timing is key and every hour counts. and dr. holly phillips of wcbs tv joins us with health watch with an hour-by-hour countdown for killing your cold. dr. phillips, this is number one on everyone's mind right now. the second you feel that sniffle that, first hour, what do you do? >> absolutely. rebecca, the most important thing, the moment you think you are going to get a cold stay

well hydrated, focus on fluids. recent studies have showed showing staying well hydrated actually boosts your immune system exactly what you want when getting sick. >> drinking water, o o.j., all the liquids you have. >> exactly. >> anything that doesn't have sugar is a good choice. >> that's an important point. in the first three hours, then, you continue to sniffle away a little bit. >> right. >> what are you supposed to be doing then. >> the next step would be to gargle with salt water. it will soothe your throat, take down inflammation but more importantly may actually may make you less contagious rinsing out bacteria and viruses that can accumulate in your throat so your family and co-workers will thank you. >> yes, i will certainly be one of them. in the first five hours, what do you need to doimplts right now the saline nasal sprays are all the rage. we hear about them all a lot and they may be quite effective. a new study shows if you use them toward the beginning of the illness, you may make the total symptoms of that cold less severe for the entire duration

of the cold. so, it's a good idea to try it. you may also stave off getting a secondary, what we call a sinusitis, you know how you sometimes feel better but can't kick the runny nose and sinus pain that, may help to prevent that. >> i always wonder about the frequency, how much i should use this? >> twice a day is as much as you should need. some use it 10, 12, 14 times a day and there's been no added benefit shown from that. twice a day should be enough. >> at hour seven, maybe try and take a decongestant at this point. >> now is when i might want to start thinking about the over-the-contract medicines but my mantra with cold medicines in general, less is more. i only suggest ibuprofen or tylenol if you really have bad body aches and in terms of cough, a new study came out showed tea with honey and lemon was more effective than the over-the-counter cough medicines. that's worth a try. >> in terms of the ingredients,

active ingredients you should be thinking about trying to find, is there anything you highly recommend? >> i always recommend using a very plain decongestant. about that, i mean you look at the box and it says for congestion, for runny nose only. i prefer that over the list of 15 symptoms. you don't need the medicine that says for headache, for chills, for fever, for every ache in your body. i find people end up overmedicated even sedated from those. so, if you need a decongestant to get through work, too stuffed up, use a plain decongestant with only one ingredient. >> very good advice. 24 hours later you are feeling i've almost gotten through this thing. what do you do. >> exactly. keep up with the same regimen but you if feel you are getting worse, have a high fever or severe headache or abdominal pain, call your dr. most of the time it's just a common cold but you might have the flu or bacterial infection that needs treatment so don't hesitate to call. we're expecting those calls all winter long. >> you are going to pick up the phone? >> absolutely. >> promise?

thank you so much. happy holidays. >> you, too. >> for more ways to kill your cold go to our partner in health webmd.com and search "cold." coming up next there, are only seven days until christmas. if you plan on shipping, well, the clock is atticing. so we're going to show you the quickest and least expensive ways to get your presents there and, of course, get them there on time. you're watching "the early show" on cbs. hi little guy! ahhhhhh! get off me!

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welcome back with christmas just seven days away, u.p.s. is about to embark on its busiest he week of the year. this wednesday, they will deliver 278 packages every second. wow. if you are one of the millions doing last-minute shopping and shipping this weekend, we've got the fastest and cheapest ways to get your gift to friends and family on time. aol consumer adviser he regina lewis is at a u.p.s. facility here in new york city. good morning to you. >> reporter: russ, thanks. >> it is peak week for u.p.s. tell me about that. >> really amazing actually. they expect to deliver 24 million packages wednesday. you mentioned that, 278 packages

per second. gracious enough to have us here this morning. the logistics are absolutely stunning. so, really, really impressive and good economic news, as well. they hired 50,000 seasonal workers to help out with peak week. >> amazing. folks at home want to know it is too late for standard shipping on these packages or do you have to opt for the more expensive one or two-day shipping. >> it is not too late but the clock is ticking. important deadlines. apple tonight is midnight tonight for standard shipping. looking ahead to december 20th, amazon, toys are us and target. further out best buy, eddie baeur. what's important here, not just the date but the time and time zone. we're in the stage where minutes matter. >> i see. in terms of going on the web and getting information you say one website folks should check out. >> a site called dealhat. they've done a good job assembling the headlines for 170 different etailers.

>> run through tips what folks can do without breaking the bank. you say some actually offer free upgrades with shipping? >> keep in mind a promotion this stamg in the game. single-most effective thing they offer is not a coupon or 30% off but a shipping upgrade. you is krch for those typing in the name of the retailer the plus sign and literally words "shipping up grades" it may the difference between three or two-day shipping and could be substantial cost savings. >> i'm one of those people who would buy six gifts from six different websites. you say that's not a good idea when it comes to shipping, right. >> not your best move, russ. here's why, shipping is based on the size of the package and weight. usually you take the biggest hit on the first item. so, the first sweater may cost you 7.95 to ship. they can shove the second in for much less cost so the incremental charge goes down that's why you would be better, russ, buying all those sites on one website.

>> you say another way to do this, shop online but pick up what you bought at the store. what advantage do you have in this area. >> is called site-to-store pickup. best buy and sears offering that. i think the real advantage, not getting to the store to find out the item is sold out so you lock it in, you arrive and they have it waiting for you and in that case the shipping is free, of course. they want you to walk in the store, foot traffic to them. >> makes sense. a lot of people want monogrammed gifts, shirts, napkins, whatever. is it too late to get that stuff. >> i got to hand it to the people at l.l. bean and talking to the folks at u.p.s., equally impressed you can order until wednesday did, december 22nd until 9:00 pvm and they will get it to you in time for christmas, pretty staggering. >> it is. to wrap it up all up you say if you haven't done it today or shipped your stuff, don't panic. am i hearing you correctly? >> yeah, don't panic but hustle. the clock is ticking and deadlines approaching. some kick in today, certainly a

lot monday. by wednesday, you will start to run into premium and rush shipping charges. >> give us a flavor of what's going on right now. peak weak, 278 package as second wednesday. we see people working behind you. is it crazy there at the u.p.s. facility. >> right now they are getting international incoming things that came via germany on a saturday morning. they say prime time will really be monday when businesses are open in new york city. but, when you look at some of the figures and the trucks are all lined up here, very interesting the way they path them, the efficiencies, they know exactly which passage goes on which truck based on zip code and the route replanned. for folks looking at u.p.s. drivers they won't be making a lot of left-hand turns which is less efficient. right-hand turns only for the u.p.s. trucks. >> sbchlst as always, thank you so much. we appreciate it. >> sure. >> for folks at home you can visit our sister website cbsmoneywatch.com. we're coming back. this is "the early show" on cbs. wasn't my daughter's cabbage appetizer spectacular?

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when we come back we'll talk about the amanda knox case appealing her conviction in italy. a very important hearing is going on today. we'll talk live exclusively with amanda knox's mom, edda mellas, there she is right there. in the courtroom today. we'll get the latest on her as to what's going on over there and she will give us amanda's state of mind. >> a pivotal moment in the trial whether or not to include dna evidence, of course amanda knox has been there in italy in prison though three years. >> that's right. >> her mom will join us exclusively coming up in a little bit. >> appeals in italian courts, very common so interesting case here. for some of you, your local news is next. for the rest of you, stick with

us. you are watching "the early show" on cbs. welcome back, everybody. was reading online yesterday in italy, 50% of all murder convictions are actually overturned on appeal. and -- >> in italy. >> in italy? >> pardon me. in italy. i apologize. many italians don't consider you actually convicted until you have been convicted on appeal. >> wow. >> an interesting court system over there. that's why amanda knox's folks, her lawyers think she's got a good shop. >> this rehopeful. >> yeah. >> go ahead, kendis. >> is the system set up so that, for the initial case -- >> an easy conviction. >> i would love to know the answer. this particular case there were all sorts of controversies going on, all sorts of discrepancies her lawyers brought up, a great question. from the big picture standout, i

don't know what's going on, why that number is so high. >> from an economics perspective, i realize these are human beings you are dealing with but from an economics perspective it seems so inefficient to have to go through this twice but from a human perspective, to know that there's still a shot out there. i mean, going into any trial, as some who stands trial and knows that they are innocent, it would be probably a very hopeful moment. >> i know coming up in the next hour we've got amanda's -- her best friend who moved there to be close to her friend during this process. you make that big move from the u.s. to italy. she's able to see her friend six times a month, i believe, something like that. >> right. right. we've talked to her before. her mom actually came out of the courtroom. we'll actually talk to her mom. >> edda mellas with a very live and live look from what's happening in the courtroom right now. of course, this is a pivotal moment in the trial. >> and a painful process for them, as well. >> it has. we're going to be right back. you are watching "the early show" on cbs. stay with us. ,,,,,,,,

a nice chilly day in new york city. we thank those folks for coming out to see us. welcome to "the early show." i'm russ mitchell. >> of course, christmas is only seven days away. it is a week away. a lot of people will be hitting the road, of course. >> that's right. >> but gas prices have really, in some -- you could say they've gone through the roof. they are a two-year highs, up 40 cents since last year. we're going to get you covered, though, because we're fwg to show you how to get your gas at the least expensive price and find a way to make it as

economical and efficient as we possibly can. >> a lot of people are going to need that information this week. also coming up we'll tell you about picture-perfect family photos. ever have those look back on christmas pictures and somebody's head is cut off, leg is cut off. >> it depends who takes the photo. >> that is true. my mom, may she rest in peace, that was her trademark. we'll tell you ho you to make great pictures so you'll be smiling. >> no matter who is taking them. >> that's true. the case of amanda knox convicted in italy killing her roommate and sentenced to 26 years in an italian prison knox's is appealing her conviction and today a crucial hearing is taking place f. the outcome goes her way, there is a chance she could go free. cbs news correspondent allen pizzey is in perugia. >> reporter: today's hearing is the best chance amanda knox and her former boyfriend have at making a case for their sentences for murder to be reduced or even thrown out. it's the third time in her appeal amanda knox has come into court to face the two judges and a jury of five women and one

man. knox's defense team request for a full review of the evidence includes dna and blood samples from the scene and on a knife already dismissed as the weapon used to marry meredith kercher. one problem will be to find an independent expert f. the press here is to be believed, every expert in italy has weighed in with an opinion already. the defense also says it has a new witness. serving a life sentence for mafia connections, claims his brother and unnamed albanian committed the murder during a robbery. knox's mother, edda mellas, saw her daughter yesterday and says the 23-year-old hopes the review of evidence will put right in what she called a mistake in the first trial. the appeal court has already upheld the conviction and conviction of a small-time drug dealer convicted as a co-murder in a separate trial. the judge today agreed that decision could be included as part of the case for the prosecution, which is asking

knox's 26-year sentence -- -- be increased to life. the next hearing will be in mid january, in a review of evidence can takes a long as 90 days before the case comes to court again. russ in. >> allen pizzey in perugia. joining us now amanda knox's mother. edda mellas. ms. mellas, good morning to you. >> good morning. >> i know you just walked out of the hearing in a break taking place right now. how you would describe what's going on today? >> well, you know, the prosecution in and civil parties again have talked about how they don't want anything reviewed. they think everything needs to stand as it is and they just think it needs to stand. >> how would you assess the way things are going for your daughter? >> you know, it's hard to tell. everybody is listening very attentively. so, you know, we hope that they will choose to really look closer at the lack of evidence

in this case so that amanda can come home. >> as you look at your daughter, what goes through your head during these tough times? >> oh, well,s it he' heart breaking to watch her suffer. it's a nightmare. >> kind of put this in perspective for us, what does today's hearing mean, how important is it? >> you know, i think our lawyers are telling it that it's pretty important. that if they open it for review, that that's a good sign. and that they're not sure and that would be great. >> you know, the last week amanda made this emotional plea to the judge and the jury. how do you think she did and how do you think folks in the courtroom took it? >> i've been told that she was amazing, that she spoke very eloquently, in perfect italian and she was able to say everything she hasn't been able to say before. it took a lot of courage and it was very hard for her to do that, but everybody thought she was very sincere and there was a

lot of emotion in that courtroom from lawyers to judges to people just watching. >> you know your daughter perhaps better than anybody else. how do you think she's handling the pressure? what's getting her through this? >> well, you know, she's -- you can see the strain is getting to her, but she's doing what she needs to do. we're always here for her. she's a strong young girl. she's hanging in there. >> how does she describe her life inside her cell? >> you know, it's boring. i mean, there's nothing to do. you know, she tries to keep her mind busy by studying, by writing, by getting out as much as she can to exercise. but, it's, yeah, it's horrible to be locked up, especially when you're innocent. >> in a perfect world, what is your hope for this hearing? what do you hope will come out of it? >> i hope they take all of our key points for review,

especially of the dna and take a look at it carefully and see that there's no evidence and let her go. >> and as we speak this morning, how optimistic are you that that's going to happen? >> oh, i don't know, it's a roller coaster, some minutes i'm sure that it's all going to be fine and then other moments i'm scared to death. >> okay. edda mellas from italy, thank you so much. we appreciate it. >> thank you. >> take care. it is now 8:06. for the morning's other top stories over to cbs news correspondent kendis gibson at the news desk. good morning. >> good morning, everyone. the senate in a rare saturday session could take an historic vote today to end the ban on gays serving in the military. the repeal of the 17-year-old don't ask, don't tell law would allow gays to openly serve in the armed forces for the very first time. the house approved the bill last week. congress is moving to get the lead out of hire drinking water that, is. friday lawmakers sent president obama a bill that significantly

lowers the permissible levels of led in plumbing fixtures that carry water. now, led contamination can pose serious health risks, especially to pregnant women and children. okay, never mind black friday. today is traditionally the biggest shopping day of the year. retailers call this holiday shopping season the best one in years. the national retail federation is forecasting more than $450 billion in sales. meanwhile, on wall street the dow lost more than seven points friday, closing at 11,491 one day after major indexes hit two-year highs. for the week, the dow was up seven-tenths of a percent. connecticut attorney general will consider legal action against google unless the entered net search engine hands over data collected from public wi-fi networks. in my may google said it had inadvertently collected private information about people's online activities from unsecured networks. the attorneys general of about

40 other states are, also, wanting to review the information to see if google improperly accessed e-mails and other private data. google declined to comment. and here in new york, students at public school 22 on staten island are ready for their close-up. the chorus is heading to hollywood. the singers got the surprise of a lifetime when actress an has theaway co orders host of this year's academy awards showed up in person to invite the chorus to sing at the awards. >> -- to invite you guys -- >> [ cheering ] >> you get a car, you get -- nah. she saw the group on youtube where they've had millions of hits. their version of "don't stop believing" is pretty unbelievable. 8 after the hour. let's turn to lonnie quinn ready for his close-up outside. >> i tell you, those kids went crazy and anne hathaway only said we'd like to invite you to. all of a sudden they didn't know

where they were going but off to the academy awards. this one right here are dressed for the cold what's your name, hon? >> han in. >> is it really that cold out here. >> yes. >> is this your mom behind you? >> yes. >> mom, you are not wearing the hat or anything -- >> you know what -- listen, you are so stylish. let's talk about weather out there. >> speaking of the cold -- talk about the hot spots and chili temps, no need for the ear muffs in miami, florida today, hitting 78 degrees. you don't need ear muffs but more than that in grenora, north dakota, a portable heater. 10 below zero at one point. the best weather anywhere today will be in new mexico, deming, new mexico, sunshine and 64. but frigid air up in north dakota, high temperatures 0 to 15 but at times will feel like 20 degrees below zero. you, my friends, will be thankful for that hat and scarf.

that's a quick look apt the national picture. here's a closer look at the weather for your weekend. >> announcer: this weather segment sponsored by macy's. >> all right. a quick shout out to west virginia, said you would scream you if didn't get on team. >> -- if i don't get on tv. >> russ, don't let her die. >> we don't want that on on our hands. >> the price of gas has hit a two-year high. we're coming back with five ways to ease the pain at the pump. you're watching "the early show" on cbs. ah, this is just what the eight layers needed.

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gasoline prices at a two-year high.

aaa reports the average national price of gas rose last week for 2.98 a gallon, nine cents more than a months ago an 30 more than a year ago as americans take to the roads in record numbers. an sometimed 85.7 million travelers will make round-trip journeys of 50 miles or from home this holiday season to. ease your pain at the pump we've have tips to save you money on gas. good to see you. >> good to see. >> drew: this is not surprising prices are so high, right. >> is it not. as you said in your intro people are driving more. i think the gas stations are taking advantage of this demand for gas. we haven't seen these levels since pre-session so it's about time we'll see these prices go up, maybe even more the new year. >> talk about save money tips. you say the wearhouse clubs that have gas stations are good ways to go to buy gas. >> members of the big three -- you pay 40 to 50 annually for a basic membership but that gets

you access to relatively cheaper gas. the stations that these operate tend to given their members from five to ten cents off a gallon of gas. >> you have to buy the membership and all of that stuff. just buying the gas but also shopping in the stores where you get discounts buying in bulk. >> you hear more about the gas reward cars. what are those and how do they work. >> i think prime maenl two categories, cashback rewards cards that generally give you cash back for any fuel purchases like the capital one no hassle rewards card that gives you 3% cash back on fuel purchases. discover has a card, as well that gives you 2% cash bang and another category, the gas station-specific credit cards, branlded, shell or hess and a little more generous with their cash back offerings but you have to use their fuel services. have to go to their gas pumps in order to get in some cases 5% cash back on fuel purchases. >> a tip that surprised me, you

can save on gas when grocery shopping. how does that work? >> there has been an increase in the national supermarket chains offering guys counts to reward members, not a credit card but a loyalty card with your grocery store like croger's, safeway, buy-low. they reward you when you shop more in their stores you may get from five to ten cents off per gallon of gas. they often have gas stations on the premises or they have relationships with gas stations locally. when you flash your card and they look at how much you've last spent at the store, you get awarded appropriately. the more you spend, the more you may get as a discount. >> good to know. i did not know. that commercial says there is an app for everything. >> yes. >> apparently an app helps you save money on gas. >> there it is. relatively new. gasbuddy.dom we've gone to find the cheapest gas in our neighborhoods. now we can get the app for that, basically free and tells you

where you can find the cheapest gas in your neighborhood available for android users, recently for iphone users and seen for black berry users. also a app called gas hogg, basically 99 cents tracks your fuel economy and gives you tips how to specifically save gas with your consider and your, you know, how you use your car and how often you are driving. >> modern technology is fantastic. you also say things like easy passes, called different things in different states where you go through the toll booth helps you save gas. how soon. >> the transportation highway authority found in the first year they implemented them they saved drivers over a million gallons of gas but you are not idle as much on the highway going through the tolls with the easy pass and other sla auto-pay toll devices. and so that not only saves you time but puts money back in your pocket. >> we talked about this earlier. we both know people who drive 20 miles to a gas station to sieve

six cents. >> a little irrational. >> not a good idea. right. >> if you use use these apps it is kind of nonsense driving five miles, wasting time and also wasting gas. >> you are right. as always, great to see you gimplts to see. >> drew: thanks so much. you can find these tips on our website. ma rebecca. >> thank you, russ. up next, we'll take a lot of pictures these next couple weeks. from shutter speed to seating arrangements, the secrets for taking the perfect holiday photo. for some of you, your local news is next. the rest of you, stay with us. you're watching "the early show" on cbs. ♪ [ female announcer ] keurig has over 200 varieties of gourmet coffee and tea to choose from. ♪ keurig is the way to brew fresh, delicious coffee in under a minute. way to brew. [ female announcer ] so with keurig, every cup

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welcome back. time for our early holiday series designed to take the stress out of your holidays. no family gathering is complete without the family photo. it's your one chance to capture that special moment in time. there's a lot to consider, where to place everyone, what settings to use on the camera, how to get

the best lightinging. but if you are worried about blowing the big shot, you don't have to be. an instructor at digital photo academy has secrets to snapping the picture-perfect family photo. great to have you with us. >> good morning. >> you don't have to be a professional paragraph to get it right. >> not these days were with how smart the cameras are today. >> we have three photos today. one behind your head and there one here, you say there issues. the first one, there are things coming out of -- the backdrop isn't right. you see them they might be a little too low to the floor and leer it might be a little too busy. how do you make sure you don't do it that way, you get it right? >> the thing is to plan ahead a little bit and to be mindful of what's going on in the background versus the foreground. so, don't be so quick to take that family shot. arrange people a little bit. remember, you're the one with the camera. so, don't be up too high, because people from up high or down below distorts their face. if we have too much in the shot,

it looks too busy and that's not what we want to see. we want to see the people. then, just be mindful of what's going on in the background. nothing looks worse than a christmas tree coming out someone's head. >> a great looking family with the picture but the christmas tree a bit of a obstruction. >> it is distracting. >> when it comes to the camera itself and finding the perfect settings, there's so many settings these days you look down at your camera, where do you even begin? >> fortunately the camera manufacturers most have something like an automatic or intelligent auto fee tu for you, has face detect. it's wonderful but there are scene modes the manufacturers have made and put into the cameras that are optimized for the type of picture you are taking. for instance, a por rate looks like a lts picture of a person and that's optimisted for a picture of a person, a portrait or you if like have sports mode set it is for slowing down -- for stopping action. >> it sounds like if you are taking a family photo and a still photo, you will look for

that portrait setting simplts probably start with the portrait setting, sure. >> in terms of light, whether natural or overhead, a lot of the time it can wash people out. how do you keep that from happening shinchts there's two things with the flash. the flash can be set to either regular slash or slow scnc flash. the regular works pretty well, helpful and does the right thing. however, if you can get out of some of the automatic modes and go into a more manual setting you can set your camera at a slow sync flash. what that does is slows down the shutter speed so the camera's able to take in some of the ambient light t. still sets off the flash but will allow nice warm ambient light to come in, also. >> sometimes you'll look at a photo and it is either too cool or warm. how do you keep that from occurring? >> that's the light balance in the camera. again it can set it automatically for you. buff oftentimes you'll find like you said a picture looks too warm or it looks too cool. and we can go in and use some of the presets the camera manufacturers put in there for

you, for instance, incandescent light if you are at home, inside, daylight, if you inside like in the studio fluorescent lighting. >> remind us again the standard for taking a family portrait? you want to be in that portrait mode then can you do the white balance at the same time? >> well, once you get -- when you're in pot rate mode you are locked into what the camera wants you to do. what you would then want to do consult your instruction manual, which nobody wants to do, i understand. but if you can get into what's called program mode, when you go into program mode, all of a sudden you are able to take control of the flash and the light balance, as well. >> one last thing, taking cell of the photo itself. oftentimes we've got a camera like this, my dad used to do this all the time set it up on the pedestal, run into the picture and barely make it in. is there an easier way and guarantee you won't have something diving in. >> you can still taye the photos where someone looks like they just ran into the photo, right, they are fun and action but you can still set it to self-timer

but this camera, for instance, haze a wired remote. much better. you can now be in the photo and can press halfway down on the button. the camera will focus if it has face recognition on it will recognize the faces, take the shot and you are good to go. >> they runs about $30 depending on the camera you have. >> thank you so much. >> thank you. >> i'm sure there will be a lot of happy people out there and happy photos this holiday thanks to you. >> great. thank you very much. >> thanks so much. coming up we'll relax the dress code for some great music from the white plain t's. for some of you, your local news is next. for the rest of you, stay with us. you're watching "the early show" on cbs. ♪ when the moon is low, we can dance slow ♪ >> ahh. >> i want to take a picture of this beautiful group of boys. >> please, please, please.

help us out. >> you are pretty good at this stuff, right, a photag extraordinaire? >> oh, yeah. actually -- >> it's hard to tell the real thing from -- >> your local is next. we'll be right back. >> okay. >> and we're back. >> and we're back. >> photo finish there. >> we'll figure this out. >> if you have photographic memory you might ask yourself what just happened there? >> exactly. i know that's what i'm asking myself. >> right with you. >> i will say, russ, you asked me, am i a photographer, am i a good one? the answer is i'm hoping now that i had that segment, that things are going to be different. i think it was helpful to know, you know, the backdrop, setting that perfect scene. >> yeah. but with like today's technology it is almost impossible to take a bad picture. >> no, it's not. no, it is not, kendis. >> there's something about it because i can look through that little square and get you sized up and i'll get you from the teeth down. >> you know what it is, when you look like this it is impossible

to take a bad picture. >> i thought that might be coming. i thought there was something. >> that approach plays great on tv. >> modest kendis. >> yes, exactly. humility on "the early show." >> everybody in their home or parents home has these picture taken at the sears portrait studio a million ears ago. you talked about modern technology, you don't really, i hate to say this sometimes you don't need to go to those places anymore because everybody has a camera these days, in their phone or whatever. i'm sorry, sears. >> we didn't back you oun that. >> i know, these guys are being so quiet. >> they are cute photos when i look back on my mom and her sister and grandparents looking back on those sears photo studios those are great memories. >> the best thing about those photos, you can't tell you are fighting or see the dysfunction. >> have you heard of these glamour shots where you go and get all glammed up? my mom did it. and she looked great.

>> kind of weird, though. >> interesting. >> okay. >> stay with us. >> we'll be back. ,,,,,,,,

i love it when people brave the cold out here. >> we do love that. thank you so much for coming out today. >> yes, thank you. >> so nice of you. >> thank you. welcome back to "the early show" i'm rebecca jarvis. >> i'm russ mitchell. rebecca, do you have something you want to tell our viewers here? >> well, in case you missed it, you know, on tuesday -- no, it was thursday, i told harry smith so we just informed the people out here i'm engaged, it's very exciting. [ cheering ] >> yes. hearts are breaking all over america. >> ahh, that's really sweet. matthew pierce hanson, the man i am engaged to is a wonderful man, i'm a really lucky girl.

>> he's a lucky guy. >> let me tell you something russ, the viewers are very lucky today we have fantastic things coming up on our show. >> oh, my gosh, you went to segue school, young lady. >> their last two hits sold five million copies combined now rebecca's favorite group, the plain white t's. >> ul you alove it. >> and rustic meets refined. chef george mendes preparing roasted chicken breast with lemon, thyme and mushrooms. >> he is milg. >> he is because he loves to cook for us and for you. it's all coming up but first we'll head to lonnie for a final check of the weather. >> wait a minute. you got to be kidding me. i'm just hearing like you guys, you got engaged? >> lonnie. come on now. >> okay. now, honestly. >> you have seen me like three times. >> i know, like my favorite person and -- well, congratulations. >> thank you, lonnie, i really appreciate it. >> all right, guys we'll talk a little weather. what do you think about that?

i'll talk about outrageous weather right now. wait until you see some of the numbers i'm talking about on the west coast a big storm is prushing onshore. los angeles, i'm really sort of on edge here, i think you will have flooding concerns, major flooding concerns talking about four to ten inches of rain and if you do the math, this particular storm is going to have a ratio about 10 to 1 when you convert the rain to snowfall. that means 40 to 100 inches of rain as it pushes into the mountains and that's what we are calling for, three and a half to maybe eight feet of snow, you see the snow, you see that storm pushing onshore around the west coast. another storm around the southeast, i will say the southeast storm had a big concern for the northeast. we thought it would gather a lot of moisture in the gulf of mexico and push up the eastern seaboard. now it looks like it wants to push out to sea and will affect the southeast today, atlanta, miami, you have rain. nashville to raleigh two to four inches of snow but does not look as of now like a big storm in the northeast. that's a quick look at a couple storms in the country. here's a closer look at the

weather for your weekend. [ cheering ] >> all right. it is that time to do a little shout out and it is the season of lights, the whole thing continues and this week's goes to nakatish, louisiana, the christmas festival of lights under way as we speak like last year. there will be, oh, look at that, big old display of fireworks and, of course, the fantastic display of lights all overlooking the riverbank, but 100,000 people will visit natchitoches we thank everybody for watching on ksla, in shreve pofrt, louisiana. good morning to you and everybody out there. russ, inside to you. >> all right, my friend.

thank you so much up. he is the favorite chef of new york's favorite chefs mr. george mendes is here with a wonderful roasted chicken breast. looks good. taking care of the potatoes. purre. it will be good, right. >> absolutely delicious. you'll be the judge, russ. >> i'm sure it will be fantastic. s it he does all coming up in just a moment. you're watching "the early show" on cbs. you can't read. [ grandma ] 'twas the night before christmas, and all through the house... whoa, that's grandma. [ grandma ] ...nothing was stirring, not kara, not maya... how does she do that? magic. [ grandma ] ...grandma loves you. [ both ] goodnight, grandma. [ female announcer ] be there to read them a story every night. read it to me again. [ female announcer ] hallmark recordable storybooks. this christmas, make it wonderful at your hallmark gold crown store. ♪ daisy, do-do a dollop our family-owned company makes daisy... with 100% natural farm-fresh cream. no artificial ingredients. no preservatives. and no added hormones.

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like this morning with a menu of fresh seasonal ingredients. executive chef and known for creating down-home males with a touch of elegance, today our "chef on a shoestring" preparing a delicious winter meal get this for under $40. great to see you. >> thanks russ. >> what's on the menu? >> we are doing a salad. for that an ent reds e, roasted chicken breast with potatoes -- >> and dessert? sounds great. where do we start, you start, actually. >> i think we'll do this together. >> bad move. bad move. >> you have bibb lettuce starting with the mustard vinaigrette, basically made out of mustard. >> what do you like about the bibb lettuce as compared -- >> it's nice and crunchy with a unique flavor. you can use row main, iceburg, whatever lettuce of choice.

yeah? walnuts, like so. >> specifically using bos bosk pears. >> very crisp, full of flavor. >> is this a good time of year for them. >> yes, september, october, november, december. >> a nifty mandolin there. >> japanese mandolin. >> you slice them very thin. >> with every bite of lettuce a bite of walnuts and pears. >> what's next. >> in the center of the plate like this. artfully arranged. >> that looks nice, yeah. i get to sample this now. is that the way this works. >> you slootly well, verse. >> since i played such a big part making it, i figured i should sample it. >> sure. >> okay. >> you are cooking the chicken breast next, that's what you are doing. >> my good else in. alert the fire department. let me try this. ahh. very good. >> okay. >> excellent. nice little kick to it.

>> moving right along we'll go on to a chicken breast. the skin is left on. season that lightly with salt and pepper on both sides. >> all right. >> like so. >> this looks like a very easy dish to make. what's the biggest mistake folks could make. >> overcook being the kick chen, aggressive heat. take it slow, take your time, there's no rush. saute pan, extra virgin olive oil, or whatever oil. >> the pan is already nice and hot. >> nice and hot. >> automatically the chicken dances around because the pan is nice and hot and it is dry. we'll sear about five seconds and go right into the oven. >> temperature? >> 375. >> okay? >> all right sfwloochlt then we have yukon gold potatoes here that are cooked thing that fancy food mill that can be purchased at any store. >> okay. >> and right through the food mill you get a nice -- >> like a hash brown.

>> exactly. >> i need to grab that spatula. you are going to help me, i am not doing it myself. >> okay. >> i need you to push the potatoes back in further. >> and you turn the food mill. >> i can do that. >> i'm already tired, i'm getting old. >> yeah, yeah, i can see. >> keep going. don't be afraid. it's not going to bite you. >> all right. >> how am i doing? >> excellent, keep going. this is like a -- a bit further. >> i'm being pooung 'dd here, right. >> no, excellent job. i think you have another career here. >> keep going. >> on the bottom, you see the nice potato. >> make sure folks can see that. >> nice. nice. >> okay. >> from here you will add your cubed butter. it is very important you don't overcook the potatoes because you need to have that backbone. if you have water-logged

potatoes -- we're adding the butter, watery potatoes and mill. can you what unto be able to taste the potatoes. >> don't overcook seems the rule of the day. >> exactly. >> all right. >> and then milk. >> you h >> uh-huh. >> not a lot of milk. >> we made a smaller quantity. >> i will obviously be taking lessons when this segment is over, only making a msts here. >> okay. then fast forward, you have this result here. now, it's, as you can see, very smooth. >> yes. >> what i do after adding the butter and milk, i threw it through a tammy or fine shin-wa, that smooths it out for a silky, velvety soft texture. >> is it time to get the chicken? >> we have. >> through the magic of television. >> exactly. >> and there's your chicken breast. >> obviously not the same one. >> roasted. fast forward, right? >> right. >> about 15 minutes in your oven. okay? >> time elapses and you'll come back and grab lemon thyme,

minced shallots and a bit more butter. >> okay. >> you are going to add, you need a base. we really want to slow it down. over low heat. minced shallots and lemon thyme. you are going to grab the pan, it's kind of hot and will do this. i'll sample one and basically just baste the chicken breast like so. >> excellent. >> okay. >> you can see you have a nice crispy, golden brown chicken breast, you can see. >> for the sake of time, why don't we plate this, do what you've got to do. >> absolutely. >> and take it from there. you've got to put the potatoes on there, as well and get to the dessert. >> definitely. >> looks delicious. this dessert from a family recipe. >> myself and my passry chef, very russ stick, you take a whole honey crisp apple and goes

in a pastry, seasoned with cinnamon sugar. we'll get there in just a second. look how beautiful and pillowy soft, right? we'll take this chicken here, slice. >> excellent. >> we'll do, this let's go to dessert while you are doing that. >> the only thing -- >> we'll put those on there. >> all right i'll do that. >> dessert, got about a minute left. >> our honey crisp apple here we'll season inside with the cinnamon sugar. >> uh-huh. >> hi. >> hello, how are you? >> we're going to sample. >> we heard the key word dessert. >> passry around the apple like so then krink it. >> get your fork ready. >> how long do you leave this in the oven? >> about 15 to 20 minutes. >> okay. all right. >> while you are doing that i'm going to put the total up right now to see how you did today. take a look. put it up on the screen. let's look.

there it is. total $38.84. >> ooh, i made it! >> there you go, you didn't quite make the top four there. >> fair enough. >> you can find all these recipes, of course on our website cbs news.com/saturday all in lower case. cream on this, as well. >> yes. >> awesome. >> this is great to make at home with the family and kids, as well. >> george mendes, thank you very much. >> thank you very much. >> happy holidays to you. up next, nothing plain about the plain white t seize, the multi-platinum artists perform their latest hit. we guarantee you will not be able to get this one out 6 your head all day long. ♪ christmas won't be the same without you ♪ that are good for you. new v8 v-fusion + tea. one combined serving of vegetables and fruit

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undergarment that, is true, have a achieved the level of success as the plain white t spooes. the spunky band took the name from the founder tom hickinson's favorite a bims which all feature artists wearing plain white t seize. >> they will launch a tour to promote their fifth album. so excited to welcome to our "second cup cafe" the plain white t seize with their latest single "rhythm of love." ♪ ♪ ♪ my heart beats like a drum ♪ a beautiful song ♪ to be sung ♪ she's got blue eyes, deep like the sea ♪ ♪ that roll back when she's laughin' at me ♪ ♪ she rises up like the tide the moment her lips meet mine ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ we may only have tonight

♪ but 'til the morning sun ♪ you're mine, all mine ♪ you're the music low and ♪ swing to the rhythm of love ♪ ♪ ♪ when the moon is low ♪ we can dance in slo-motion ♪ and all your tears ♪ will subside ♪ all your tears ♪ will dry ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ and long after i've gone ♪ you'll still be humin' along ♪ ♪ and i will keep you in my mine ♪ ♪ the way you make love so fine ♪ ♪ we may only tonight ♪ but 'til the morning sun, you're mine ♪ ♪ all mine ♪ play the music low ♪ and sway to the rit-nim of love ♪ ♪ ohhh ♪ play the music low ♪ and sway to the rhythm of love ♪ ♪ yes, sway to the rhythm of love ♪ >> plain white t 's, great work.

>> nice to see you. >> what's on tap for you for the holiday season? >> uh, well, we'll go home and spend it with our families. >> is that the tradition? >> oh, yeah. >> you all part ways and come back together in the new year? >> basically, yeah, we say good-bye for a couple weeks and hang out out with our friends and families back home in cold chicago. >> love the city. how do you come up with a name like that. >> always fans of older music, '50s and '60s stuff like that you think about back then everybody's got the leather jacket with the plain white t and the slick-backed hair so we thought it was a cool image to put our music to. >> with you came up with your vision did you envision showing up to all your shows in a white plain t. >> everybody asks that. we never really wore plain white ts but never as a uniform where everyone wore it anything like th that. >> thanks to being with us, guys. for more on them, head to our website and don't move. they're coming right back to

spread some holiday cheer with their own christmas classic. ♪ all mine ♪ play the music low >> announcer: this "second cup cafe "segment sponsored by the u.s. postal service. if you do the shipping. .. shipping's a hassle. i'll go to the mall. hey. hi. you know, holiday shipping's easy with priority mail flat rate boxes from the postal service. if it fits, it ships anywhere in the country for a low flat rate. yea, i know. oh, you're good. good luck! priority mail flat rate shipping starts at just $4.90 only from the postal service. a simpler way to ship.

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we have some survivor fans with us in the audience today. >> we do. >> tomorrow night is the season five finale of "survive nicaragua" who will win the million dollar check? monday on "the early show," we will be presenting the winner and the runner-up of "survivor nicaragua" with their big checks, it will happen here live monday. >> all right. >> early next saturday spend the holiday with us. don't miss our special broadcast a christmas morning.

it will be a wonderful day. kendis thank you so much for coming in today. >> it's been great. >> my voice has hung in there. >> it has. >> lonster, thanks, as always. to get you in the holiday spirit, we leave you with the plain white tt's and "christmas won't be the same without you." have a good one, guys ♪ ♪ ♪ christmas won't be the same without you ♪ ♪ gold and red ribbons wrapped around you ♪ ♪ when we're apart ♪ it breaks my heart ♪ christmas won't be the same without you ♪ ♪ ohhhhh ♪ give me some of that christmas feeling ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ i'm tired of giving and not receiving ♪ ♪ who am i going to cuddle up to, if i can't have you ♪

♪ christmas won't be the same without you ♪ ♪ we had our ups and we had our downs, too ♪ ♪ now, all i do is think about you ♪ ♪ and i don't know why ♪ we said good-bye ♪ christmas won't be the same without you ♪ ♪ ohhhh hd ♪ ♪ give me some of that christmas feeling ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ i'm tired of giving and not receiving ♪ ♪ who am i going to cuddle up to if i can't have you ♪ ♪ christmas won't be the same without you ♪ ♪ i try my hardest to remember ♪ ♪ why we're apart and not together ♪ ♪ if i could have my wish ♪ i'd want you under my tree ♪ here with me

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ give me some of that christmas feeling ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ i'm tired of givin' and not receivein' ♪ ♪ who am i going to cuddle up to, if i can't have you ♪ ♪ christmas won't be the same without you ♪ ♪ christmas won't be the same without you ♪ ♪ who am i going to cuddle up to if i can't have you ♪ ♪ ♪ christmas won't be say the -- the same without you ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ wrapped around you ♪ when we're apart ♪ wrapped around you ♪ when we're apart ♪ it breaks my heart -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com