200 new shops by 2014 >> i never met a cupcake i didn't like enjoy your day stay dry see you tomorrow good morning. tragedy in tucson as president obama gets set to travel to arizona to honor the victims of saturday's deadly shooting, accused shooter jared loughner faced the death penalty. we'll speak to the man that received a good-bye call before the attack. winter blast. a deadly storm that's crippling the south with snow and ice headed up the coast and targeting the northeast. we'll bring you the very latest on the storm's track and how much snow is expected. cancer free. mikes a douglas says the tumor in his throat is gone. what he plans to do next. early this tuesday morning, what he plans to do next. early this tuesday morning, january 11th, 2011. captioning funded by cbs

good morning, everyone. i'm chris wragge. >> i'm erica hill. >> welcome back. tough assignment down there. >> good to be back with you and also, you know, it is also good to be there and to be able to cover a story. what a community tucson is and seeing the support of victims, families which is, you know, just a testament to the city. >> like you said, everyone banded together to support one another. we'll talk about that coming up. also, this weather system. >> oh! >> latest weather system headed right towards us in the northeast. southern states have been battered the last day or so. you are looking at pictures of atlanta here and that's your old stomping ground. snow not well received in atlanta. >> i spent five years in atlanta and rain can be tough to deal

with and inches of snow not good. >> combined with ice and plum meting temperatures and like i said coming towards the northeast. lots of snow expected here. >> pulling out the hat and the scarf. before that, we turn our focus to tucson, preparing to say good-bye to the victims of saturday's deadly rampage. a mass is planned for this afternoon. president obama will attend a memorial service tomorrow. cbs news national correspondent ben tracy is in tucson with more. ben, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, erica. seven of the shooting victims are still here at the university medical center in tucson and while so many people trying to process the tragedy, we're learning a lot more about the alleged gunman. as the fbi scoured what's still qs the fbi scoured what's still tucson, the nation paused. >> we're better than this. >> reporter: from the heights of outer space where brother-in-law scott of giffords is on the international space station to the cold reality of planet earth, the president who will travel to tucson tomorrow led

the nation in a moment of silence and prayer. the alleged shooter 22-year-old jared lee loughner smiled for the mugshot appearing in federal court for the first time monday charged with five counts of murder and attempted murder. >> he was not on the same level as everyone else. >> reporter: former classmate steven said he was loner and mentally unstable. he feared he would bring a gun to class one day and shoot everyone. he tried to be friends. >> clench the fists and grin during random times in class and just laugh to himself. >> reporter: perhaps even odder is the makeshiftality we are a skull discovered in loughner's backyard. >> a guy wam to the safeway and started shooting. >> reporter: authorities tell cbs news the attack on giffords was not partisan but more likely because he was anti-government in general and she was a symbol of it. he may also have been upset after asking giffords a question at a 2007 event that she did not

answer. friends say loughner never forgot it. after being shot point blank in the head the congresswoman is still in the icu but doctors remain optimistic. >> with regard to congresswoman giffords' recovery at this phase in the game no change is good and we have no change. >> reporter: but for the families of the victims, everything has changed. now, president obama is scheduled to arrive here tomorrow afternoon. he is set to meet with some of the families of the shooting victims. he also is scheduled to attend a memorial service that is being planned at the university of arizona. ben tracy, cbs news, tucson. some of the victims of saturday's shooting were released from university medical center in tucson yesterday. one of those is eric fuller who was shot in the leg and hit in the back with bullet fragments. he joins us this morning. good morning to you. >> good morning to you, sir. >> let me ask you right off, how are you doing this morning and

feeling and thank you for taking the time to speak with us. >> well, i am doing fine. physically. miraculously, feeling very lucky. i'm -- i'm outraged that someone like gabrielle giffords was attacked. >> can you just kind of recount exactly what happened and describe the situation for us? >> i was looking at my own notes which consisted of a couple of questions, things that i wanted to talk to her about and formed up in a line. i was about ten feet away from her. >> it's mass chaos. then what happens? what did you see unfold in front of you? >> well, it was -- it was like a bad crime drama with a gun being pointed towards me and very seemed like athletic, young man

pumping rounds off at everybody and taking aim at us. so, not wanting to leave the world very soon and not thinking that i could do very much except maybe get killed trying to stop him from the vantage point that i was at, i fell to the ground. as other people were doing. and i expected the worst to occur after that. >> you said you played dead, fell to the ground. you were then hit in the knee and then in the back, as well. when's going through your mind? did you know at that point that you had been shot? >> i -- i felt the round enter my knee. i didn't know about the fragment in my back. i was incredulous. i hadn't ever had any kind of

trauma experience at that level before. and i didn't know quite how to react. i felt like we were in for more and possibly to be given a cue da gra by this madman that was so vigorously exercising his second amendment rights. a woman knocked the clip out of his hand and i think that was probably intended as -- i felt that -- i sensed that that was going to be the end of me. >> if you had an opportunity to speak with the congresswoman, what would you say to her as she continues to recover now? >> well, i would give her every kind of encouragement that i could possibly think up. and i would like to thank her on behalf of veterans such as myself for standing up for

veterans and for supporting bills that were supportive of veterans. and i would want her to return to her job and continue to be effective in her role as defending the public interest. >> mr. fuller, thank you for taking the time this morning. we appreciate it. >> well, it was my pleasure, sir. have a good day. >> you, too. now here's erica. >> thanks. what a story. the sheriff in arizona publicly blamed the extreme political rhetoric across the country for the tragedy saying it several times since saturday. a majority of americans, however, don't necessarily agree that's the case. according to a new cbs news poll, 57% of respondents don't believe the harsh tone has anything to do with the shootings. just 32% say it did. some politicians, however, are

re-evaluating the security in the wake of the tragedy. cbs news congressional correspondent nancy cordes has more now on that part of the story. nancy, good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. this is the first time in more than 30 years that a member oft congress has been shot and now many members of congress are taking a look at their own safety, seeing if there's something that they can do differently. even as members and staffers gathered to honor the victims, security was being visibly tightened on capitol hill and the senate sergeant at arms was warning members to take all threats seriously. is it time to start talking about giving every member a security detail? >> well, i'm never against conversation but i do not think that's wise, prudent or affordable. >> reporter: jason chavitz and others plan to carry guns in their home districts. >> i have carried a gun before coming to congress and since then and i'll continue to. for me, it is a personal security issue.

i feel comfortable with it. >> well, that would not be my choice. >> reporter: congresswoman schultz's office had threats. the suspect is in jail. >> we're serious about the threats and making sure the staff is safe. >> reporter: in florida monday, three members went ahead with a scheduled an i appearance but were surrounded by police officers. >> we wanted to make sure that we had this event today so we could send a message to the public specifically that they should not ever have to worry about their safety or security or fear attending an event with a member of congress. >> reporter: the house sergeant of arms has instructed members to appoint one member of their staffs to serve as a district liaison to local police officers in their district so that when they're holding an event there they let local police know and when they receive threats in the district they can let police know about that, too. erica? >> nancy cordes, thanks. now to that winter blast

crippling the south and bearing down on the northeast now. as much as a foot of snow in some places from louisiana to the carolinas and at least nine deaths are blamed on treacherous roads. cbs news correspondent mark straussmann joins us from atlanta with the latest. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, chris. for most folks here in atlanta the morning commute is canceled. i-75, almost nobody on the road and, in fact, sections of highways and many major roads closed or impassable and most snowbound communities in the south not a snowplow is in sight. slipping and sliding across the snowy southeast. and in a half dozen other southern states, nasty weather is digging in for the week and people are digging out. or trying to. >> this car's not made for snow. >> reporter: four inches fell in atlanta but the city only has eight snowplows and in north carolina driving conditions aren't much better. >> i thought i was going to have a heart attack. i thought i was going to die.

>> reporter: from the carolina through tennessee and arkansas, the mercury's in free fall. sub freezing temperatures the rest of the week and some places up to 20 degrees below normal. parts of tennessee got more than a foot of snow. >> a little bit of snow an it's just a nightmare out here. >> reporter: more than 2,000 flights have already been canceled throughout the region. >> trying to get to rochester, new york. >> reporter: in miami, many frustrated passengers are trying to get to atlanta where the airport america's busiest is virtually shut down. >> everything is delayed. looks like the pipeline from here to atlanta, you know, everything's shut down so we're going to be here for a couple of days. >> reporter: auburn fans from alabama to arizona for last night's college football national championship game were also completely out of luck. >> kind of in between crying and throwing something at somebody. >> reporter: but not everyone's complaining. in wrightsville, north carolina, local children got creative using the normally white sandy beaches for sledding trails.

here in atlanta, the storm marks the second significant snowfall here in just three weeks, no big deal in the northeast but a huge deal here in the southeast and across the region many folks here will be staying home and the city will stay in a state of near paralysis. chris? >> cbs' mark straussmann in atlanta this morning, thank you and stay bundled up. not used to it makes it tough down there. here's marisol castro with the forecast. >> there's currently a freezing rain

>> thanks so much. i'll have more on the national forecast a little bit later on in the show. over to erica and chris. >> looking forward to that. thanks. we flew back yesterday from

tucson and can't fly direct to new york and first time in january a flight through chicago instead of atlanta for weather. >> would have been a problem. >> yes. >> would have been reporting live from atlanta. >> me and mark, there you go. now over to jeff glor for a check of the headlines. >> good morning to you and everyone at home. in australia, this morning, the monumental flooding continues. and the search is on for those swept away by rushing water. a giant wall of water deskribd as an inland tsunami ripped through a valley in northeast australia yesterday after two weeks of severe flooding that freak storm dropped six inches of water in half an hour. at least ten people were killed and 78 are still missing. secretary of state hillary clinton made an unannounced visit to yemen this morning. yemen which borders saudi arabia is a key player in u.s. counterterrorism efforts and clinton pressing the leaders to crack down on extremists. in china this morning, u.s. defense secretary gates said

north korea will pose a direct threat to the u.s. within five years. the reason gates said the north made a missile and expand the nuclear capabilities. wikileaks founder julian assange back in a london court this morning fighting extradition to sweden where he's wanted for questioning in two sex crime cases. today's hearing is a preliminary one. u.s. officials considering how to prosecute assange. former house majority leader tom delay says he will appeal the three-year prison term. a judge sentenced him yesterday for the conviction of illegally funneling money to texas candidates in 2002. delay's lawyer was dismissive of the verdict and sentence. >> i told you what i thought i'd get sued. this will not stand. >> during the appeal, delay will probably remain free for months or years. auburn university's college football's national champion this morning. with the score tied at 19 late

in the fourth back, the running back appeared to be tackled. everybody stopped. he got up, that set up the winning field goal as time expired auburn beats oregon 22-19. and seattle sea hawks fans literally shook the earth on saturday during a nfl playoff game in a big play that beat the saints, the 67-yard touchdown run, the crowd went crazy. more than 66,000 fans jumped and stomped so much that the vibrations registered like a small earthquake. on a nearby seismometer. it was e equivalent tloent a 1 or 2 quake. 17 minutes past the hour. the same energy and excitement i feel when i come in to work every morning with you guys. >> i was going to say it's what greets us morning on the plaza. >> i was going to say in new orleans you could hear a pin drop for the first time in a long time. jared loughner's good-bye call, speaking with a friend

that heard from alleged shooter hours before the deadly spree. also, banks hiking the fees once again. how to beat the fees and negotiate to have them dropped completely. plus michael douglas sharing some fantastic news saying he is now cancer free. how he was able to beat it coming up. you are watching "the early show" on cbs. have any margin for error. one wrong turn, and i could end up unloading a puddle of water. >> gps: turn right ahead. >> man: so i make sure i have the right guidance to get me exactly where i need to be. it's the same with taxes. turbotax has a unique gps feature that guides me step-by-step. automatically double-checks along the way and even lets me talk to a tax expert so i'm never alone. which helps me know it's done right and get to my maximum refund, guaranteed. >> try turbotax online now. you don't pay unless you're satisfied with the results. [ male announcer ] build your better breakfast at subway with the $2.50 breakfast combo. get a 16oz. cup of piping-hot seattle's best coffee and a savory new sunrise subway melt built fresh to your order for just $2.50.

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just ahead this morning, a fascinating conversation with a friend of jared loughner's. he's going to join us this morning exclusively to tell us about a bizarre phone call he got from loughner just hours before the shooting. i sat down with him yesterday in tucson. what an interesting story. >> and put your money in the bank. you put your money in the bank to keep it safe. well guess what? that's not so easy anymore. banks keep raising fees on everything from bounced checks to using another company's atm. we've got money-saving advice when we come back here on "the early show." >> this portion of "the early

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sydnie kohara... six people were hurt this morning in an apartment building fire on the peninsula. it is 7:22 a.m. i am sydnie kohara. six people were hurt in a apartment building fire on the peninsula. dozens more were displaced. it started 3:00 a.m. this morning, now the sun is coming up investigators can start looking for the cause. a natural gas leak forced ten people out of five homes in san francisco's sunset district late last night now only the home with the gas leak is still vacated. fire crews damaged the valve when they tried to turn off the gas that can't be occupied until pg&e can make repairs. >> it will cost more today to have your trash collected in redwood city. city council unanimously approving a rate hike last night. a new company is picking up the

trash on the peninsula it says the fee hike is needed to pay for new recycling services. traffic and weather in just a moment. stay with us those are hard water stains. truth is, 85% of us have hard water. unlike the leading all-purpose cleaner, lime-a-way is specially formulated to conquer hard water stains. for lime calcium and rust, lime-a-way is a must.

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you approach north greenville it is in the center divide it is causing spectator slowing. stop and go conditions, tree to south main street no accidents just slow and go bay bridge seeing some delays, you are backed up to grand metering lights are on and golden gate bridge not bad traffic looking good out of marin county. yeah, some rainfall moving into the bay area, fairly light, we are expecting it to be fairly light during the day but again, part of the forecast today, light rainfall moving in through marin county, san raphael area, more light showers off the coastline moving into the bay area for the morning forecast today, light rainfall expected for the morning and afternoon highs upper 40s to upper 50s. showers still possible tomorrow a few lingering showers especially inland, north of golden gate after that temperatures finally closer to more seasonal highs a mix of sun and cloud and pretty decent

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the cold weather cannot keep our friends on the plaza down. >> note to tomorrow's crowd, bring shovels. >> and warm boots. welcome back to "the early show," everyone, on this tuesday morning. i'm erica hill along with chris wragge. and we have great news coming up for actor michael douglas. so many people have been following him after we learned that the actor, of course, had cancer. very tough chemo and radiation therapy. now he's saying he's actually beaten that throat cancer. dr. holly phillips is here to explain how that happened and what he has to do now. >> and banks are at it again. they're raising fees from checking to atm fees, to your debit cards. so business and economics correspondent rebecca jarvis is going to show you some simple ways to get around these fees and even get rid of them.

get rid of some of them altogether. >> i just like to keep my own money. imagine that. first, though, just hours before jared loughner allegedly picked up a gun, killing six people, he picked up a phone for a good-bye call to an old friend. i sat down with him, bryce tierney, yesterday, in tucson for more on what it felt like to hear from that friend under such bizarre circumstances. in the hours just before jared lee loughner allegedly opened fire outside this tucson supermarket, he reached out to an old friend. late friday night, or early saturday morning, i guess, around 2:00, your phone rings and you look at it. no number there. >> restricted number. >> you didn't answer. when did you listen to that voicemail? >> right after. it was really quick. just, you know, hey, it's jared, we've had some good times and peace out. >> tierney let us listen to the chilling phone message but plus asked him not to let anyone record it. as news of the deadly shooting spread through tucson, his fears

grew. did you think it had been jared? >> sort of. yeah. sort of. i'm not very sure who else would shoot gabrielle giffords, you know. >> at a giffords' event in 2007, loughner posed a question which he didn't feel she answered and became angry. tierney says loughner asked giffords what is government if words have no meaning? >> i was like, wow, jared i can't believe they actually asked your question, because that's sort of ridiculous. he seemed to dwell on the fact that she wouldn't answer his question. i think that was just like the start of it. >> tierney says his friend wasn't political. but he was increasingly frustrated with government. >> i knew jared loughner as just a regular kid. i never thought i'd, you know, know him as a -- as a mass murderer. >> loughner stopped talking to his friends last march. in fact, he had no contact with tierney in the ten months leading up to saturday's voicemail.

>> he just seemed sort of down. sometimes i think about what happens if i did answer that phone call. >> do you think anything would have been different? >> i think maybe, possibly. >> and joining us exclusively from tucson is bryce tierney. bryce, good morning to you. you know, we talked about a little bit in our piece, you hadn't spoken to jared since march and probably the first time you actually saw him was when you saw the mug shots that a lot of us have seen in the last day. you said you saw it on the news. when you saw that picture, what was your reaction? >> my basic reaction to that picture, i was -- i mean, i think it's what everyone else's reaction was. it's a pretty creepy picture. i mean it's very disturbing. >> did you see anything in that face or in those eyes that was the jared loughner that you knew, who was a friend of yours? >> absolutely not, no. no. that was -- no.

absolutely not. >> give us a better idea. when he started to pull away from you and your friends last march, he was sending some text messages which were a little strange. what was -- what was going through your mind? were there red flags as you were getting these messages? >> yeah, i mean, i guess you could say that. i mean, it was sort of -- it was just -- it was really -- it was really weird to get text messages, really weird like comments like that. it was like the text messages he would send were just sort of like the weird, strange, under-the-radar sort of comments that he would make. publicly or like around people. that would make people feel real uncomfortable. sort of like annoy listic comments that make absolutely no sense. yeah. >> can you step back from it? what's it like to be there and

to know that you got this phone call? >> it's sort of very strange, uncomfortable spot to be in. to be -- to know that you were possibly like one of the last people that he might have attempted to contact. you know, before doing this. it's -- it's sort of -- it's pretty uncomfortable. >> if you had the opportunity, bryce, would you want to talk to jared now? and if so, what would you say to him? >> if i knew he was on the other line, i probably would have picked up the phone. i mean, purely based on the fact that i hadn't heard from him in a long, long time. and i -- i mean, if -- i, you know, it's hard to say like what

i'd say to him. because i don't know what he was -- i'm really not sure what he was going to say to me, you know. but if i had the chance, i probably would have answered the phone just because it was li like -- it was like, you know, a friend that i hadn't talked to in a long time trying, you know, to get back in contact. >> reaching out in some way. do you think -- do you think things would have been different? >> i think that's hard to say. but, you know,

up next, bank fees continue to rise. >> so we're going to tell you what you can do to protect your money. this is "the early show" here on cbs.

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>> man: delivering a 200-pound ice sculpture means i don't have any margin for error. one wrong turn, and i could end up unloading a puddle of water. >> gps: turn right ahead. >> man: so i make sure i have the right guidance to get me exactly where i need to be. it's the same with taxes. turbotax has a unique gps feature that guides me step-by-step. automatically double-checks along the way and even lets me talk to a tax expert so i'm never alone. which helps me know it's done right and get to my maximum refund, guaranteed. >> try turbotax online now. you don't pay unless you're satisfied with the results. [ male announcer ] little oliver's fog horn nose had a powerful spray. but mom had new puffs ultra soft & strong to save the day. with lotion-free pillows to cushion the force. puffs ultra soft & strong holds up better than value tissue of course.

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their fees. according to bankrate.com only 65% of banks still offered free checking accounts last year. and that's down 11% from 2009. cbs news business and economics correspondent rebecca jarvis is here with some tips on how to beat those pesky fees. good morning. >> good morning, chris. >> if you haven't looked at your checking accounts lately, you better. because those fees are going up. >> yeah. and consumers are really getting hit with a double whammy. between interest rates being hit at historical lows, you're being paid practically nothing to keep your money in the bank and fees being at historical highs you're basically really getting knocked around as a consumer. so the average fee, when you look at a checking account, is above $9. on top of that, an overdraft fee is $29.26. and using another bank's atm on average is going to run you $1.63. so they're going up across the board and these are just averages. they can be a lot higher. >> those other atm fees are killer. >> yeah, they are. >> how do you get around these fees? >> there are lots of accounts out there where you're not going to have to pay a fee in order to do checking with a bank. one of the great resources out

there to find those accounts is bankrate.com. it is a wonderful resource to look to to find out where there's a bank that suits your needs, and also, is going to charge you less. on top of that you can bank online, community banks and credit union are also wonderful places. think about banking locally. >> if you're going to consider one of these options you've got to do a little research. you need to dig deeper into these things. what should people at home, what should stand out to them? >> there's a couple of fee factors that you want to make sure that you look for and read the fine print on. first of all, you want to make sure that there is no average monthly requirement. because if there is, you need to be able to meet that monthly requirement. on top of that you want to make sure that you don't have to use the account a certain number of times. that you're not restricted and limited on the number of times that you can do transactions with the account. and lastly, you want to make sure that your account activity is going to be at the present level is going to fulfill the needs of the bank. >> so here, i guess with all banking issues, you should read

the fine print. but you really have to do your due diligence here in your research to make sure you've got the best options. >> you have to do your due diligence. you have to do your research. but if you're really intent on staying with the bank you already bank with, you can go back to them and say listen, there are better deals out there. i've been a great customer to you and i would like to maintain this account for you but you're going to have to lower the fees. in some cases if you are a great customer, you haven't suffered overdrafts, they're going to let you stick around. >> some banks are actually negotiate with you. >> listen, play ball when you can. >> worst they can say is no. >> exactly. >> rebecca, thanks. up next, big news expected for 93 million verizon wireless subscribers. could it have something to do with the iphone? we're going to tell you what we know. you're watching "the early show" here on cbs. hey! wait up! ♪ [ female announcer ] you see a mud stain. but new wisk sees a particulate stain. with our breakthrough stain spectrum technology, wisk is engineered to fight all the major stain groups like particulates and oils.

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of winter skin in just one day. beauty you can see and feel. that's being comfortable in your own skin. aveeno skin relief. and now get dermatologist recommended relief from severely dry skin with eczema therapy. new from aveeno. discover the power of active naturals [ indistinct shouting ] ♪ another day ♪ another dollar ♪ daylight comes [ dogs barking ] ♪ i'm on my way ♪ another day ♪ another dollar ♪ working my whole life away ♪ another day ♪ another dollar since the iphone hit the market, the only way to get one was to sign up with at&t. which didn't make everyone happy. but that could change this

morning. a big announcement is expected from verizon wireless. cnet contributor katie linendoll has the latest. this is another one of the worst-kept secrets in the history of the world. the big rumor is that you're going to be able to get an iphone with verizon >> yes, and this time i would be highly surprised at if 11:00 a.m. verizon didn't make that announcement. i spoke to both sides and apple and verizon are declining to comment. but if you're on verizon you're like oh, my gosh, i've heard this rumor for years. expect it to actually happen. i think steve jobs will show up for this announcement. 11:00 a.m., everyone on verizon's got their fingers crossed. >> this is huge, actually. >> it is. >> not just for the smartphone industry as a whole, because it really opens up the choices that you have. >> and i think you have the ability to shift the landscape in terms of competition. 61.5 million americans are on smartphones and that number is incredibly on the climb. android just eclipsed the iphone at a two spot and believe it or not, ram who makes blackberry is in the one hole. i think it's good for competition, for consumer. this could be detrimental to

t-mobile and sprint. what are they going to do to keep up? >> it's going to be tough. what about people who are, because we mentioned, we all heard the stories, people may love their iphones but there are certain places, no matter who your carrier is, the coverage may not be ideal. are people you think going to switch to from at&t to verizon? >> i think it's a lot to think about. i think initially, if you're in a contract, or you're in a corporate account or if you're on a family plan, that is really large early termination fee. the highest number was about $2625 to make that switch. so there are a number of things to consider. but also, at&t has had a bad network, a bad reputation for coverage area. so i think having at&t -- if verizon plays their cards right, people would love to make that switch, especially if the rumor is true, that it's coming with an unlimited data plan. that could be huge. >> because at&t recently changed their plan so you have to pay for the amount of data you're going to use. >> right. >> 30 bucks a month we're hearing from verizon for unlimited data? >> and if they run it on 4g which would be amazing, more people likely to switch over. that would be a huge added

bonus. >> if you have an at&t iphone you can't use it on the verizon network. >> not to get totally techie, two totally different frequencies. if you have an at&t iphone you can't switch it over to verizon. >> you'll have to buy a new one. >> exactly. >> apple is really upset about that. nice to see you. we'll be back with more. you're watching "the early show" on cbs. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

deck of cards out there. >> how about cooking stuff up with cheese. >> i love it. >> okay so today we are cooking something up with cheese. my comfort food, grilled cheese and tomato soup. don't forget the tomato soup. we're going to have a grilled cheese cookoff coming up. >> is there any bad cheese? >> no. >> yes. >> limburger cheese is bad. >> good. >> i like it all. >> prove loan.

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san francisco city administrator ed lee is expe ed time for news headlines from cbs 5 i am elizabeth wenger. ed lee is expected to be named inter immayor this afternoon. lee will serve the remaining year of gavin newsom's term. >> checks could be in the mail later this week for victims of the san bruno pipeline explosion. city council will consider a plan to start distributing nearly $400,000 donated. >> first arkansas then louisiana now sonoma county chp reported more than 100 dead birds south of geyserville saturday. biology gists have started testing the birds they all

appear the same kind, small with brown and black feathers. traffic and weather coming right up ,,,,,,,,,,

good morning i am in the traffic center, slow and go conditions, highway through antioch. it gets better as you pass the area somerville and move into pittsburgh. reports of large bales of hay in the roadway chp is on scene. you can see traffic backed up

both directions 101 knot bound as you come away from sfo and southbound as you go south past 280, traffic looking good not too bad a little extra volume southbound seeing a 16 minute ride, highway 101, 37 to 580 that is a look at your traffic here is your forecast with tracy. forecast this morning, make sure you grab the umbrella, a chance of showers out there, here they are, doppler radar showing showers off the coast of marin county also near san francisco area, our forecast today will include rain showers for the morning, and also for the afternoon. temperatures today upper 40s. upper 50s. mix of sun and clouds expected as we move into tomorrow as well as a few left over showers inland, after that temperatures going up, close to more seasonal highs and we are dry through next monday [ wheezing breaths ]

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welco welcome back to the "early show." got a full house out here. i'm chris wragge along with erica hill and marysol castro. >> there are cards. >> trying to just -- >> there you go. >> smiling. >> here we go. >> they got my back. coming up, great news from michael douglas. fantastic news. so concerned about him since his announcement last summer he stage four throat cancer. now he says the tomb sir goiumo and doctors believe she cancer-free. >> incredible. also, jerry o'connell long

been a favorite. starring in the cbs show "the defenders" loves a mug of coffee in the morning with "the early show." plays a las vegas attorney on the show. hit the jackpot in his personal life. marrying actress rebecca romijn, becoming a dad to adorable twin girls, understanding it, giving him a run for his money. we'll check in with him in a bit. >> that's why that's not coffee. first we want to head inside and check in with jeff glor at the newsdesk. good morning. >> marysol, good morning to you and to everyone at home once again. three days after the tucson shooting more today whether a heated political atmosphere play add role. a cbs news poll released this morning says most americans reject that idea. 57% do not think heated political talk had anything to do with the attack. 32% think it was a factor. tomorrow president obama b will be in tucson for the memorial service for shooting victims. yesterday he called upon the

country for a moment of silence. >> in the coming days we'll have a lot of time to reflect. right now the main thing we're going is to offer our thoughts and prayers to those who have been impacted. >> the president will speak at tomorrow's memorial and meet with victims' family? meantime a moment of silence before last night's college football championship game, which was played in arizona. and this morning we're learning more about the 22-year-old charged in the attack. jared loughner. loughner made his first court appearance yesterday, held without bail and not talking. so far the fbi has found no connection with loughner and hate groups. classmates and friends describe him as a paranoid social outcast. gabrielle giffords remains in intensive care this morning at university medical center in tucson where seven other victims of saturday's shooting rampage

are also being treat ford their injuries. joining us is dr. michael lemole. doctor, good morning to you. >> good morning. >> it's been three days since congresswoman giffords' surgery. how critical is day three in the recovery process for her? >> it's one of the typical landmarks that we watch very closely, because in a lot of people, this is the maximal day of swelling, but i caution everyone out there that this does not have to be that day. we might have to be on pins and needles for more days. >> maybe day three for five or even beyond. can you give a longer range perspective, if you get past this moment, what the range of time in terms of recovery might be for her? >> well, we've always said from the beginning that rather than thinking in terms of days and weeks, in neurological recovery re think in terms of weeks and months. and i think there's no reason to expect different here. >> the congresswoman has been

responding, as you said, to simple commands. is there a point you test for more complex responses? >> that kind of examination is really more readily possible when she's got the breathing tube out, and at that time we're not there. so we really are limited to that simple examination. >> hour important is her family in the recovery process? >> i think it's very important. i think it's probably more important when she's more interactive. when the breathing tube's out. when she can communicate more directly. but i would not discount the importance of having them at the bedside and just having her able to hear their voices. >> okay. dr. michael lemole joining us from tucson, arizona this morning. doctor, thank you very much for your time. >> you're welcome. in australia this morning the latest run of flash floods killed at least ten people. a massive wall of water slammed slew a valley yesterday. take a look at this. after weeks of flooding there,

that surging water tossed cars around. after six inches of water fell in half an hour in that case. helicopters were used to rescue people. more than 70 people are still missing, though, and there appears the floods may reach central brisbane, home to 2 million people. flooding problems here in the u.s. as well on a smaller scale. a water main burst in philadelphia this morning. water gushed out of a large crater flooding streets for blocks. it is five minutes past the hour, and we head back outside now to marysol castro, who's out on the plaza. good morning. >> good morning. it's a very rowdy crowd out here. we've been on the air for a week and the first day that the sun is out. that is a sign of good things to come, especially in the form of individuals with rather large hands.

>> announcer: this weather report, sponsored by aveeno. discover the power of active naturals. >> thank you so much. your national outlook later on in the show. back inside to chris. michael douglas says he beat cancer. that's next. this is "the early show" here on cbs. [ nnouncer ] and now, winter skin can be too. discover relief from dry, uncomfortable skin with skin relief moisturizing lotion. only aveeno has an active naturals triple oat and shea butter formula that soothes, nourishes and restores moisture. women saw improvement in all five symptoms of winter skin in just one day. beauty you can see and feel. that's being comfortable in your own skin. aveeno skin relief. and now get dermatologist recommended relief from severely dry skin with eczema therapy. new from aveeno.

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in more people's hands. nobody else has what this paint's got: and that's a number one rating. it's a paint and primer in one -- so it goes on bold, and looks even better. it means getting more done -- in half the time. and it means the shade you see on that swatch -- ends up on that wall... and is as durable as it is colorful. you know where to find it. more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot. try it for yourself. get your own 8-ounce sample of the number one-rated behr paint. now, just $2.94. in this morning's "healthwatch," beating throat kansas perp since his announcement help was battling stage 4 cancer michael douglas remained fed is fast in his fight against it's disease, following chemo and radiation therapy. now mr. douglas is cancer-free pap spokesperson says the toumo

is gone and doctors don't expect anything else. here to talk about michael douglas' condition, the thing that strikes me, how do you grow stage 4 throat cancer to now cancer-free. is this common? >> this is not entirely unheard of but still viewed as huge, huge victory. he has ever reason to feel confident, but we always have to keep in mind he'll need to be followed very closely. especially the next two years when the cancer is most likely to come back. and, chris, people who have had throat cancer are also at an increased rick of getting other cancers of the head and neck. he'll probably be in the doctor's office at least once a month just getting followed. >> talk about it now. encouraging news and wrap this does now for his outlook. >> he's been through chemotherapy and radiation, both of which he described as very, very intense. now, chemotherapy causes wait loss. we've seen recent photos of him actually he looked quite gone.

says he lost 32 pounds. lost a lot of muscle mass. for the next few moss he'll need to focus on building that back. radiation can also cause long-term side effects. we hope those like dry mouth, hoarseness, will resolve over time. >> some of the side effects, chemo, radiation, dry mouth, loss of weight, is that something that he can, i guess, that will come back, or is it going to be kinds of a tougher road? >> absolutely. certainly with the weight loss, he's really going to need to eat right. he's going to need to exercise, follow-up with his doctor. the american cancer society actually recommends a primarily plant-based diets focusing on fruits, veggies. lean protein, fish and beans. he can put that right back on. some of the radiation side effects, particularly the dry mouth, the hoarseness, throws discomfort, may be more lasting. might even be some permanent site effects. only time will tell to see how much he's recovered from that. >> you mentioned throat cancer

survivors run the rick of developing other cancers. is there anything he can do to astlid? >> the most important thing actually we can all do to avoid getting throat cancer, number one, don't smoke. throat cancer, eight out of ten people who get throat cancer actually are smokers. if you drink alcohol on top of that your risk for the cancer increases exponentially. he'll need to stop smoking and drinking. try to avoid hpz. that's a sexually transmitted disease called human papillomavirus and may be involve fld a quarter of all throat cancers. also we have to not just focus on prevention but early detecti detection. if you suddenly feel something is caught in the your throat, you're constantly clearing your throat. experience any throat pain, ear discomfort, all signs you should tell your doctor. not something to ignore and try to tough it out. >> a little different than kind of a medical -- throughout the process he talk about being a fighter.

how this wasn't going to beat him. sdp that positive energy and outlook help in roviry? >> 100%, chris. really, how you go into it is what you get out of it. he was determined to beat this, and from the looks of it today, he did. now, there will also be an emotional recovery where he'll really have to focus on building himself back, his family back, but he's a survivor and has shown that. >> a three-year period 20 really be cancer-free? >> absolutely. >> dr. holly phillips, thank you. coming up, jerry o'connell talks about being a defense attorney on television and a dad in real life. he's got twins and they're going through the terrible 2s. plenty to talk about right here on the "early show." we'll be right back. >> announcer: cbs news "healthwatch" sponsored by restasis. talk to your doctor about cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion. ,,,,

he is happily married to supermodel represent ek ka roamin'. dad to twin girls. but on the cbs show "the defenders" jerry o'connell plays a las vegas defense attorney who loves fast cars, beautiful women, and yes, the law. >> what -- what is this? >> i can't see, your finger's in the way. >> this is a bill from our corporate card with charges for room service and spa treatment at the beverly hills hotel. >> that was from a year ago! >> don't change the subject. >> i was at a legal accept mar in los angeles. are you going through the files trying to find something on nikki? >> vacations with your wife is not a valid business deduction. ring, ring, hello.

oh, mr. tax computer who are you looking for? mr. nick morelli? stings, doesn't it? >> jerry o'connell, good morning. >> good morning. >> good to have you with us. we were chatting at the break and you said jim belushi likes to call you chris o'donnell. >> he always says my good friend chris o'donnell. i'm like, jerry o'donnell. like all that stuff we do there, that's all him and i coming up with that. >> that's not necessarily in the script. >> no, i mean, it's in script form, but we have a good time. he comes from second city and he's one of those improv guys. so it's a really fun time. it's -- it's the most fun. >> it's not a bad day at work. >> it really is not. >> and maybe a little easier than taking care of twin 2-year-old girls? >> listen. i have two 2-year-old daughters. you know, i'll do anything to get out of the house. i'm running out of there. no, i love them. hi, girls. there's -- i forget which one that is. i'm kidding. that's dolly and that's charlie.

wow, those are pictures. there they are at montauk point in long island. >> they're pretty cute. they're 2 now. >> they're 2. >> and so they're officially giving you a run for their money. >> they are. let me grab this for you. >> thank you. >> they are -- yeah, it's actually worse than the terrible 2s in my household. it's the completely awful 2s. and everyone keeps saying it gets better. and i haven't quite seen that light at the end of the tunnel. >> it gets better. but 3 1/2 is really a rough age. maybe that's just for boys. i have boys. >> yeah, i have girls. so a lot of ariel stuff in my house. >> that was completely foreign territory for you? >> completely. i had a brother. my dad. i had never seen under the sea or what's it called, little mermaid. i'd never seen cinderella. so i'm not dressing up as a princess. but there's a lot of princesses. >> it's going to happen. they're going to want to do your hair. they're going to put makeup on you. >> trying to do their hair is a hassle right now. i have one girl, i won't say who, who you have to do like

drive-by hair brushings where u you walk past her and do a couple quick brushes. goes crazy, hates it. hates, hates the combing of the hair. ah, ah! and i can't do it in public because people think i'm abusing my child. >> that can be rough. was it everything you thought it would be, being a dad? >> they're super cute. i really like them. while they do sleep in their own beds sometimes they, in the middle of the night, crawl into our bed. i know parents have strict policies but it's pretty cute. >> and it's nice to have them cuddle up. there they are right there. us in montauk again. >> you have two daddy's girls. do they have you wrapped around their finger yet? >> they definitely, i am -- i'm not the disciplinarian. >> you're the pushover? >> i'm the pushover. what can i say? >> someone has to be, right? >> our kitchen, they're not allowed in there. there's a gate. once you go in there everybody just wants to come in the kitchen. it's like an exclusive club that they want to get into. and the second they start screaming i let them in. really, they just have my number. what can i say?

>> they're well trained for later in life when they need to get into a club. that's exactly what to do with the velvet rope. this is a lot of fun for you to go back to the show. the show is moving time slots. >> yes, it's going to be on fridays at 8:00 come february 4th. i believe. and we're really excited about it because fridays have been very successful for you here at cbs. what with "blue bloods" and "csi: new york." it's just a great night for us. it's sort of a night that we really wanted for a long time. >> it's kind of like, too, for parents of young kids like you, you can't really get out all that much. it's something to do on a friday night. >> i'm actually more excited, i'm no marketing genius, but you can imagine like it's going to be belushi, sinise and sell ek on friday nights. that's a promo right there. these ideas for free. >> you went to law school, and you play a lawyer here, but you were a one-l as they say? >> that means first year. my wife and i had our kids two

years ago. my wife was working and i was a stay at home dad. >> yeah. >> and that was -- i had to do something else. i had to get out of the house for a little bit. so i took the l-sats and went part-time to a school in los angeles called southwestern and did my first year. >> do you think you'll go back for two and three? >> i think i will. >> it is rough. >> you know, they say the first year is the hardest. and somehow i made it through that alive. but, it's really interesting. and i'm not kidding you, it's really helping on the show. >> it must have. did you ever think you'd end up playing a lawyer when you were in law school? >> what's funny, the second i went to law school for some reason all these legal scripts started coming to me. i guess, people thought i was an expert. >> all of a sudden. >> if you looked at my grades, i certainly wasn't an expert, sadly. >> but we don't know that. we'll go with the, he went to law school for a year. taking time off. >> that's very nice of you. >> good to have you with us. come back any time. >> thank you so much >> stay warm. >> good luck with that.

go back to l.a. it's warmer there. you can catch "the defenders" it's warmer there. you can catch "the defenders" wednesdays at,, [ female announcer ] with cable's bundle choices, there's not much to see. with at&t u-verse tv, you can record up to four shows at once on a single dvr. hey. yeah. on my way home. [ female announcer ] you can even choose wireless voice service. he can't do that with cable. choose the right bundle for you. call now to get u-verse tv and internet plus choose home phone or wireless voice service starting at $99 a month. switch today to get dvr included with most plans and a 30-day money back guarantee. bundle the services that fit your life. with u-verse tv, record and play back your shows in any room from a single dvr.

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investigators are trying to figure out what sparked an >> it is 8:25 a.m. i am sydnie kohara. investigators trying to figure out what sparked this apartment fire that injured six people. flames shot out of the second floor. two people jumped from the balcony. in all, two dozen people had to evacuate none of the injuries is life threatens. one home remains evacuated san francisco's sunset district. people forced out of five homes because of a gas leak in one of them. that home will remain off limits until pg&e can make sure the gas is off. pg&e suspending the practice of boosting pressure, in its natural gas pipelines that decision follows a report an intentional spike a couple years ago could have weakened

the san bruno pipeline. they sid it was quote to ensure operational flexibility ,,,,,,,,

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grand. traffic backed up to the maze. elsewhere, headed south of there on 680 we have reports of debris northbound that ramp to westbound 80 on the roadway lanes are blocked give yourself extra time and south bay we have a trouble spot northbound 280, accident center divide and 280 slow, any way right through downtown san jose that is traffic here is tracy. forecast will include light rain showers across the bay area this morning and afternoon. our radar showing showers moving in through santa rosa, don't want to call them heavy, light rainfall and even lighter rainfall as shown by the shades of green. sprinkles crossing the 101, darker shade of green where you are more likely to run into rainfall. there you go. showers expected during the day and tonight ,,,,,,,,

and good morning to you. welcome back to "the early show." a little cold on the plaza. i can't imagine why. lots of friends with us on the plaza, including some folks helping to raise awareness to help fight pediatric cancer which is always important. glad to have them with us. i'm erica hill along with chris wragge, jeff glor and marysol castro. just ahead, it's been kind of a rough winter so far. i know it's winter. it's planet earth, it gets cold. >> right. >> still it's not even mid-january, we still have two months to go. the good news is we have plenty of things, the latest and greatest products to help keep you warm. including something like this. >> i saw that. >> what is that? >> you know those little hand warmers. this one is nontoxic and reusable. just one of the many tips we

have. sizzling socks. socks with batteries to keep your feet warm. >> we have confirmed this is, in fact, planet earth. >> yes, yes. this just in. breaking news. and it's winter. >> you got that folks, good morning. >> good morning. >> also this morning, living arrangements, possibly some changes. >> yes. potentially. there's some advice out there for fixing up your place and guess what? it's cheaper than trading up. it's actually a great time to invest in your own home. we're going to give you all the reasons why it's a good time to put a little money. >> chris is going to come do the work for free. >> exactly. very handy. >> great hired help. >> also this morning, you talk about the cold. >> yes. >> so, we're going to have what might be the greatest competition in the history of television. >> food competition? >> it's the comfort food cookoff. this should be good stuff. those dishes that make you feel like you're at home and you're comfortable. >> warm and fuzzy. >> we're making grilled cheese this morning? >> my comfort food is grilled cheese and tomato soup.

look who's going to help. our good friend bobby flay. >> can't wait for that. that should be good stuff coming up real soon. in two parts, by the way. >> before we can get to the grilled cheese and tomato soup, marysol with a final check of the rather cold weather. >> i know. i'm sorry. >> it's not your fault. >> i am not the dictator of weather. i'm merely the passenger of weather. let's take a look at your national outlook. we're looking at this major winter weather system in the

>> thanks so much. raising awearness about pediatric cancer and what's the skinny? >> we're from the nyc hope gala which is benefiting pediatric cancer. check out our website. >> we will, indeed. thanks so much for joining us. and braving the elements. back inside to check in with erica. >> marysol, thanks. is that knit cap and those well-worn gloves just aren't cutting it for you this winter,

are you in luck. we have some very cool items to keep you super warm courtesy of tech expert brett larson who is host of directv's "killer apps." >> it's been too long. >> brett and i used to work to the in a former life. and you still have all the best, coolest technology with you. >> i tend to travel with the good stuff. >> so starting out, a jacket that's actually going to keep me warm. >> a jacket that's going to keep you warm. let's say you've got to go to the park, walk your dog for several hours in a snowstorm. this jacket is from milwaukee. it's got a battery operated heater inside, you can actually feel the heat coming off of it. >> a battery like a throw in a couple of aa batteries? >> it actually charges and will give you six hours of heat. it's water and wind resistant. >> it's pretty light. >> you can outside. it's lightweight. that's the nice thing about having a heating element inside the coat. it's not heavy. it's not bulky. you're not going to be standing with your arms out looking like kenny. this also is fleece and polyurethane. so it's going to be warmer, but there's no -- >> and this keeps some of your

heat inside. >> this is actually going to trap your body heat but also let the moisture out which is a good thing because if you're trapping the body heat, it's going to get gross. >> don't want anything gross underneath. this is -- first of all they're really cute hats. >> they're more than cute hats. they let you rock out to your tunes at the same time. you put the ear phones in them, the tooks, and they go underneath the caps. so you keep your eyes covered. >> just investigating. oh, they're inside the hat. >> so they're going to be in there. sometimes when you put your ear buds in. >> running in the winter it doesn't really work. now i have no excuse anymore. those are cool. >> this thing is awesome. >> this is the wonder warmer. let's see if we can get a tight shot. there's this little metal disc in there and when you press it -- >> there it is. sneaky. >> it makes a little chemical reaction. >> yes. >> chemical reaction but it's nontoxic. >> it's nontoxic and it's crystallizing and heating up. and th stays hot for quite awhile. and then when you're done with it it hardens, when it's

completed. >> yes. >> it stays warm. and then when you want to reuse it, pop it in the microwave or stick it in boiling water. >> you can use it 100 times. >> they're like 20 bucks. that's not bad. >> that's amazing. >> put those in your gloves. >> in your ski boots like in the old days. a heated scarf? i love a good scarf! >> how great is that? it's got a little battery pack on it. it's actually warm right now. you can feel it. >> we've got a warm scarf. also have heated socks. please tell me they're washable. >> they are. you take the battery pack out of them and you can wash them. just a "d" battery. so the "d" battery is a little on the bulky side. >> that's a little large. >> you're going to hope that -- >> there's a weight. so you get a workout. >> you get a calf workout. >> i love nice gloves. we have the kind that have little tips on them so you don't have to take them off. and you can still use your touchscreen devices. your iphone or your android. but then we have this other stuff here where actually the fingertip opens up.

>> you can use a frozen fingertip. >> i tend to like the version that has the tip that opens, even though you've got to expose your fingers to the elements. >> but you've got options. this is really -- >> this is a heated -- >> it's a heated mouse. >> it's a heated mouse. >> this is wild. now this, i tend to run hot. so i want to have the air conditioning on even in the wintertime. so this would be nice for my coworkers who don't want to be cold. >> chris wragge likes the studio like a meat locker. >> it is a little chilly in here. i wasn't going to say anything. >> marysol and i need this warm. >> this is good if you have problems with your hands, because it keeps you warm. >> if you have poor circulation. and this would be lovely at my desk, too. >> a usb blanket. come on. >> who doesn't need a usb blanket. >> you plug it into the computer. >> steal some power from your employer. >> i'm going to do that. also this is for people who are cold in their office. a lot of times your office won't let you have a heater. >> that is true. a vornado. they're cool to the touch. these are on, and i can get

hands on with it. >> i can feel the warm air. >> i was going to say, the higher-end one has a remote which is now on the floor. the other nice thing about these is if they tip over they shut off. that's also a good safety feature. >> so it's a little safer. >> less of a fire hazard. and you have other things that can help us control temperatures. we'll have to get that on the website. these are great. just wrap them all up and send them downstairs for me. >> you work in that cold corridor? >> i'm in the cold office. for more an any of these products, logon to our website at earlyshow.cbsnews.com. now, here's chris. >> erica, if it's too cold in the studio we'll get you that heated mouse. >> you're so good to me. >> whatever it takes. if you're looking for a relatively safe place to invest some money these days, how about your home? amanda gengler is a writer for "money" magazine and is here to explain why this is an especially good time to do some renovations. >> great to be here. >> funding you say is pretty cheap right now so makes for a good time to do this.

>> exactly. so given the state of the economy, the federal reserve really does not want you to save today, they want you to put your dollars into circulation. so they're working really hard to keep interest rates low. equity lines of credit right now, you might be paying 4% or 5%, or if i took it out a few years ago as little as 3%. those are very favorable rates. and on the other hand, if you have some money in a savings account, it's probably earning, you know, paltry 1%, if that. so you can spend some of that money and not lose a lot of interest earnings. >> so p people shouldn't be afraid to put money back into their homes right now. you say too that remodeling is a smart move because contractors are just basically discounting everything. >> well, you mare have had trouble with a contractor returning your phone calls. today all the top pros in town will give you a bid and the price they give will probably be about 20%, 10% lower than what

they would have given you during the peak. >> one of the reasons for that are material prices are coming down. >> of course, so because of the economic slowdown as well as the housing slowdown, together demand for building supplies is just down and any time demand falls, then prices usually fall, as well. plywood is off about 23% from its peakand drywall is down 29% and framing lumber is off about 35% so not all building supplies have dropped that low, but on the whole, some very good times to purchase them today. >> you say the fixing up costs can be a little more economically sane than trading up. >> moving is so expensive that remodeling can actually cost a lot less. when you move, of course, you have to pay the cost of the movers, closing costs on your home can run $5,000. you'll need that inevitable paint job on the new place, window draperies and then you want to think about what it'll cost you to sell your current

home. commission and fees could take a big chunk out of a $400,000 house they might run $25,000 so if you add up all of those cots, you can get a lot of remodeling done. >> lastly, bottom line is you can make some small improvements but still see -- you can reap some serious rewards. doesn't take a whole lot in order to bring up the value of your home by just doing some small things. >> our general rule of thumb at "money" magazine, you want to improve your home enough to bring it in line with similar homes in the area. if you do that, you're likely going to get back the lion's share of your investment when you go sell. but if you want to make your home the most elaborate on the block and surpass your neighbors, absolutely not so you can think about it this way, let's say you have a kitchen that's only ten years old and don't like the granite in it, does that mean if you replace it you'll get that money back when you sell? probably not. but if on the other hand you're living with a 1960s or 1970s

kitchen and want to upgrade it, absolutely. you'll probably bring it in line with the other home. >> like you said don't price yourself out of the neighborhood. >> never want to be the most expensive home on the block. >> amanda, thank you very much. ♪ hey, good looking what you got cooking ♪ >> this morning we are kicking off a tasty new series called "covers food cook-off." each day this week an all-star cleblt chef will join us to make one of our favorite comfort foods. each anchor is going to do this. the chefs will score our choices and food and see who comes out best. we kick it off with bobby flay who has judged a competition or two on the show before between myself and chris.

>> chris is very competitive. >> i was going to say i'm right behind you. >> i love the competition between you because it brings out the real you. actually this is a bittersweet day, this is my last "early show" appearance. >> i can't believe it. >> i'm sorry. >> what are we going to do without you? >> chris is obviously taking over. >> doctor. >> maybe he's taking over cooking but i would like to dare. >> i want to thank you for letting me in your kitchen for all these years. now you have to take over the kitchen. so, you know, we should start but i'm going to make a grilled cheese with fontina, bacon, fried green tomatoes and arugula but you have a pantry, just a plethora of ingredients. >> okay. >> cheeses, breads, you know, all kinds of condiments. >> we'll start so i should point out -- if you're joining us my comfort food is grilled cheese and tomato soup. >> i did make tomato soup for

you. >> i'm starting. >> you make yours. >> tell everybody at home what you're doing. >> i'm going to start with fontina cheese. i put a little butter in the pan. i want to get it nice and crusty on the outside. a little blttle butter, fried g tomatoes. >> love it. >> looks good. >> looks good. >> arugula. >> have any cenany sourdough br? >> cover the pan up. >> all right. >> we don't have any cheddar, do we? >> you need a plate. >> oh. you like to talk, bobby. >> so far lots of melted butter in the pan. we have brown butter in the pan. >> whose pan is this? >> it's mine. it's burning. >> i'll start you over. >> setting a fire. >> move it, move it. >> i'm sticking with what i know. >> gosh.

wow. >> all right. >> my mom always put the butter on the bread. >> you can do that too. >> you can do -- the problem is sometimes the bread gets broken up. >> that's why you have to have the butter on the counter sometimes. that's all right. let's be honest. i'm not a professional. >> i'm just trying to help you out. >> that's why i'm saying. >> you're using rye bread. >> mine is grilled swiss with tomato on rye. >> tomato swiss cheese, rye bread. >> i'm deciding whether i was going to add arugula. i like the pepper aspect. i don't know if it'll work. >> this is not a two-part series. >> come on. >> choose the cheese very carefully. >> well, a little basil, mustard then i'm going to -- >> it's a little high. >> may want to turn it high. >> so serving italian grilled

cheese, roasted pepper, basil. >> i love basil. and i love this mustard. >> i don't know if i can speak to you because i just got here and now you're leaving and it's just too much for me to bear right now. >> prosciutto. >> it's prosciutto and monchego cheese because it's my favorite. >> spanish/italian thing. >> i'm puerto rican. you are not. >> and the mediterranean. wait a second. >> it was the closest thing i could find. it was the closest thing i could find and i'm going to zhoosh it up with a secret ingredient. >> which is what? >> i'm going to keep it a secret with your help. >> basil. some fresh herbs. how about a little tomato pesto. >> really? >> you sure? >> tomatoes, prosciutto and basil and this will add moisture, as well. >> i think i burned -- >> are you concerned about

getting so much help. >> i heard you were trying to get bobby to give you secret tips. >> are you kidding me? >> it's half and half. what do you have on -- >> i threw every sort of cheese i could in there, i think. >> so it's like a quadruple cheese -- >> it's ay grouple bypass. >> i think erica has good control of the saute pan. >> here's the thing. i will say i'm used to cooking on a gas burner. you can control it better so my pan was getting a little hot. one thing i noticed over the years is you have to do it slow and steady. >> correct. because you want it to be nice and crusty and golden brown and want that contrast of texture. you want it to be crunchy on the outside, deliciously melted on the inside. that's the key. >> that looks pretty good. >> you want thin also. >> i did. so is that a good move because i did it on purpose. >> what do you think? >> can i get a spatula? >> thank you very much. >> got it.

>> all right -- >> looks a little burned. wragge. >> this is just one side. >> turn away for a minute? >> extra crispy. we don't want to use the "b" word. >> put a little prosciutto on there, as well. >> cover this. >> we'll keep cooking and take a little break. put our finishing touches on our grilled cheese. stay with us. we'll be right back with the results and the all-important judging. oh, boy. you're watching the "early show." ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

trying to outguard it. >> what? >> look at this. >> comfort food. >> were we on tv? >> uh-huh. >> all right. you guys are in trouble. >> can i taste? >> yeah. >> okay. that's why you're here. >> what do you call this? >> okay, so bobby is tasting.

>> marysol special. my nickname from you guys is marysolo. >> that's really good. >> we're having a grilled cheese cook-off. bobby flay is judging our grilled cheese. >> a tell you, it's nice and crusty on the outside, good flavor, the tomatoes you added on there. >> of course. >> prosciutto and it's not too thick. and it's well melted. >> prosciutto, tomato pesto. >> tombo pesto and basil. >> a little pepper. >> what i've come up with here. this is provolone. peppers, mustard on there. nice and glazed. >> this is good. >> you learned from the best. >> this is also great flavor but not quite as melted as it should be. >> don't show the down side. the top is much better. >> what do you got? >> it is tomato, what did i pull? gruyere and might be a tiny bit of monchievo.

>> good technique. a little bland on creativity. >> it's my comfort food. i'll make it any way i want. >> jeff, what do you got? >> this is just a collection of every cheese i could find. >> but not melted. it's all glor goop. >> glor goop. >> not melted at all. it looks like something when you go to the cafeteria and you say i'd like a grilled cheese. >> do i have to give points here? >> yes. >> i'm going to say 5, 5, 4, 3. >> oh, my goodness. >> i'm sorry. >> wow. >> i'm sorry, jeff. well i gave you the highest score possible. you did a good job. >> i'm sympathetic. >> i garnished. how about a little love for a classic grilled cheese sandwich? >> i know. >> grilled swiss on rye with tomato. >> i know, but you guys -- >> and a milkshake. >> these guys went a little bit with the creativity. they stayed within the grilled cheese department. >> uh-huh. >> oh, erica's not happy. >> bobby, thank you.

>> thank you, everybody. >> seriously. >> tomorrow, gail simmons from >> seriously. >> tomorrow, gail simmons from top chef i,,,,,,,,

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headlines... checks could go out later this good morning it is 8:55 a.m. i am elizabeth wenger. checks could go out late they are week to victims of the san bruno explosion. city council will discuss how to distribute $400,000 collected from donations they have to decide whether amounts going out will vary. >> ed lee likely to become interim mayor of san francisco today. he will probably be appointed when the board of supervisors meets this afternoon. if that happens he will be the city's first chinese american mayor >> >> governor brown is out with a new state budget proposal and contains sharp cuts for higher education, his plan would slash $500 million each from cal state and uc systems and

community colleges would lose $400 million. traffic and weather coming right up ,, you... don't have a choice of getting breast cancer. i had no choice. that 3-day gave me that opportunity. and i can actually do something to help. 60 miles in 3 days-- i can do that. we can rid the world of this terrible disease... so that no mother... granddaughter... sister... daughter... mother... go through what my wife had to go through. (man) register today for the... and receive $25 off your registration fee. because everyone deserves a lifetime. >> ow! >> can you read my number? >> announcer: attention, those on medicare with diabetes. you may be eligible for an upgraded meter. >> i am tired of stabbing my fingertips to test my blood glucose. there has got to be a better way. >> if you're on medicare with diabetes, then you need to know there's a new method for checking your blood glucose.

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was cleared to the right shoulder it is jam packed in that area even beyond highway 13. 880, nemitz does not look bad as you pass the coliseum. taillights, northbound traffic heading up towards high street. and in the south bay we do have an accident northbound 280, cupertino near wolf road exit sounds like it still may be blocking one lane of traffic and backed up as well from guadalupe parkway. here is tracy. >> hey, thank you liz. forecast for the morning involves a shower, light showers out there, illustrated by the light shade of green from san raphael and north bay moving down to the redwood city area and creeping just outside of san jose. our forecast today, will include creeping showers for the morning and also noon temperatures up to 40, upper 50s. left over showers tomorrow after that, temperatures

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