as early as 4:30. have a great day. good morning, tragedy in tucson. congresswoman giffords' husband at her bedside as the recovery amazes doctors. the spth headed to tucson today and hearing from the parents of the alleged shooter as the investigation uncovers more disturbing evidence. monster storm. the northeast getting hammered by the third snowstorm in as many weeks. more than 4,000 flight cancelations causing chaos at airports across the tion. we'll bring you the latest on the travel nightmare. and trouble for the golden voice. after recovering from alcohol and drug abuse, and becoming an overnight sensation, ted williams has a run-in with police in southern california. we'll tell you just what's going on with him, early this

wednesday morning, january 12th, on with him, early this wednesday morning, january 12th, 2011. captioning funded by cbs it is blowing there in boston. hope you weren't trying to fly out of boston this morning. >> if you had a flight in to boston or leaving boston this morning, call the carrier. >> get comfortable. watch "the early show" with us. you will be there a while. >> weather issues across the northeast.rtp yesterday, we talked about weather problems in atlanta and other southern states. now made the way here to the northeast. i guess you could say here in new york we dodged a bullet a little bit. >> we did. >> only about eight inches here in new york city but connecticut with almost two feet and boston still socked right now. a lot of weather stories throughout. >> travel plans or expecting a delivery, check on it this morning. the very latest on that. this is a live west coast edition of "the early show" and the situation in tucson, this morning, and we begin with that

tragedy. investigators have put together a timeline of what jared loughner did before he allegedly went on a deadly rampage offering some insight and the president is headed to tucson later today to address a memorial service there for the victims. cbs news national correspondent ben tracy has been covering the story since the very beginning and joins us this morning with the latest. ben, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, erica. it's been four days since the shootings here in tucson and the nerve is still very raw but when the obamas arrive here this afternoon they'll going to find families in a city trying to heal as memorials and funerals now begin. >> everyone in our community is in grief. >> reporter: amid profound grief there is still a message of hope. ♪ amazing grace >> reporter: inside this catholic church where the youngest victim 9-year-old christina taylor green sang in the children's choir people of

all faith s gathered to pray. >> love each other. forgive each other and work for justice and for peace. >> reporter: among the mourners were green's parents, yet along with the pain is the pain staking process of building a case against the alleged gunman, 22-year-old jared lee loughner. investigators revealed two more disturbing pieces of evidence. first, a note inside loughner's home with the words die bitch written on it an the morning of the shootings loughner's father confronted him removing a black bag from the trunk of the car but loughner took off running before he could speak to him about it. his parents released a statement apologize og the victims' families. there are no words that can possibly express how we feel. we wish that there were so we could make you feel better. we don't understand why this happened. one neighbor says the loughners can't stop crying. >> how would you feel if your son did it? you'd feel like it's you're to blame for the people getting

shot. he just deeply grieved about it. >> reporter: while jared lee loughner behind bars in phoenix, doctors in tucson are optimistic about congresswoman giffords' recovery. a doctor is 101% confident she'll survive. new photos show the congresswoman's husband at the bedside holding her hand. president obama is scheduled to speak at a memorial event tonight at the university of arizona. meanwhile, the arizona legislature passed an emergency bill last night that prohibits protesters from within 300 feet of any of the funerals. it may sound strange but unfortunately they had to do that because members of a church in kansas planned to come down here and picket some of the funerals saying the shootings are god's punishment on the united states for tolerating homosexuality. erica? >> just sick anyone could do that as people are in mourning. ben tracy, appreciate it, thanks. chris? >> thank you. the tragedy in tucson is having a profound effect in

washington. the house will vote on the so-called giffords' resolution this morning and now sarah palin is coming forward to break her silence. cbs news congressional correspondent nancy cordes with the fz+ (r&s this morning. nancy? >> reporter: chris, good morning. the house of representatives will consider the resolution. any member of the house to wish to do k go to the house floor to express their sorrow, their outrage. whatever they want. at the same time, books of condolence and well wishes have been set out here in the capitol complex for anyone to come by and sign a. hour ago we saw the minority leader nancy pelosi to sign the books and yesterday she went to congress giffords' office to pay respects and traveling with the president tonight for the memorial service. as you mentioned we are hearing today for the first time directly from sarah palin who as you know has been facing criticism for the cross hairs the campaign website used last

year to depict congresswoman giffords' district and 19 other democratic districts and something giffords herself complained about but sarah palin today called the criticism quote blood libel. take a listen to some of that statement. >> acts of monstrous criminality stand on their own. they begin and end with the criminals who commit them, not collectively with all the those who listen to talk root. not with maps of swing districts used by both sides of the aisle. not with law-abiding citizens at campaign rallies. not with those who proudly voted in the last election. america must be stronger than the evil we saw displayed last week. we are better than the mindless finger pointing we endured in the wake of the tragedy. we will come out of this stronger and more united in the

desire to peacefully engage in the great debates of our time, to respectfully embrace the differences in a positive manner. and to unite in the knowledge that though our ideas may be different, we must all strive for a better future for our country. yes, may god bless america. >> reporter: later today, there will be a prayer service here at the capitol so members can pray for the victims and their families, chris. >> cbs's nancy kor dose in washington this morning for us, thank you. here's erica. we turn to the monster storm hitting the northeast. it dumped over nine inches of white stuff here in new york and it is continuing at this hour to hammer most of new england. marysol castro is outside with the latest. this is keeping you busy, my friend. >> it is. good morning to you. good morning, everyone. the sun is out here in new york city and a few short hours ago the snow was a blanketing portions of new york city, the entire tri-state area. nine inches fell in total and as

the coast moves up the storm, folks in new england will see the second nor'easter, a big blizzard of the season. the powerful storm bearing down on the northeast is the third winter blast to hit the region in less than three weeks. heavy snow is expected as systems from the midwest and southeast converge. cities like new york, hartford, providence and boston are preparing for snowfall totals between 14 inches and 2 feet and winds of up to 35 miles per hour. across the south, where at least 11 people have died, residents are still digging out and being urged to stay off icy roads. the storm overwhelmed cities with little winter weather. atlanta is combatting slick streets with eight trucks for the entire city. >> very tough, very tough. i'm not used to. this i'm from miami. >> reporter: crews in the northeast prepping to salt roads before the first flakes fell. no, sir which was heavily criticized for the respobs to the christmas weekend blizzard had salt and plow chucks at the

ready. >> we are enhancing the snow plan and supplementing it with plans learned after the blizzard. >> reporter: snow on the ground in 49 of the 50 states. only florida is without snow. even in hawaii where temperatures are in the 70s the summit on the big island is capped with snow. back on the mainland, the storm continues to push north, intensifying as wind gusts create blizzard conditions blue coastal new england. and we just want to show you the radar to keep track of this storm. the northeast corridor from new york to portland, see outer bands of rain and still plenty of snow falling so this is actually a combination, perfect combination for a nor'easter showing you specifically this portion of the country we have that low just sitting off the coast. we've had -- we have seen some snow fall totals of 22 inches in upstate connecticut. again, gusty winds, 30 to 45 miles per hour. this is expected to be out of here by later tonight.

the northeast portion of the country felt the affects. temperatures below normal. may not have seen as much precipitation but feeling the frigid temperatures. we'll clean up from this storm and i ma be back in the very spot in a week or so or somewhere else it's snowing a lot. >> let's not jinx ourselves. thank you very much and checking back with you in a few moments. the storm wreaking havoc with travelers, especially those planning to fly. whit johnson at logan international airport with the latest. how are things? >> reporter: hey, chris. good morning to you. technically, logan international airport is actually open, believe it or not. supposedly they're trying to keep one runway clear and none of that matters because the snow is heavy. no flights are getting in or out. and that's expected to be the case for most of the day. weary travelers are preparing for the worst yet again. more than 3,500 flights up and down the east coast have already

been canceled. at least a thousand more are expected before this massive storm passes. at new york's laguardia airport, jesse forman trying since monday morning to get to school in north carolina. >> this is my fifth flight i have been on or attempted to go on. hopefully this one goes out. >> reporter: atlanta's hartsfield airport known as the world's busiest is now a giant hotel. whiteout conditions leave fliers wondering how long they'll be stranded. >> i was originally scheduled to fly in to washington reagan yesterday but the flight was canceled due to the weather in atlanta and i came out today and i found out that the flight they put me on is also canceled. >> reporter: many are hoping that the system doesn't cause a repeat of the christmas weekend blizzard that crippled air country travel in the country for more than a week and 10,000 flight cancelations coast to coast. this time, flights were taken off the board well before the first flakes fell. >> the airlines are smarter. doing a lot more preemptive

cancelations because they don't need planes out of sequence or cycle. >> reporter: passengers are asked to be patient as they sort through the severe disruptions. and that college student that you heard from in that story jesse forman, we checked in with him later and he was able to get a flight to north carolina but trust me, he was lucky. if you're planning on traveling in the northeast today, you're better off staying at home where it's more comfortable. chris? >> whit johnson at boston's logan airport for us, get inside, thanks so much. >> he will be stuck there for a while, as well. >> hearing that term pack your patience, that enrages people more. >> it probably does but you know the sad thing is it's so true. >> i know. >> rough. at least you're all in it together, maybe? >> band together. >> there you go. safety in numbers. jeff glor is at the news december westbrook a check of the headlines. good morning. >> pack your patience, all right? >> with you we have to. >> good morning, guys. good morning, everyone.

the devastating floodwaters in australia have hit the country's third largest city there. the brisbane river spilled over the banks. cbs news correspondent mark phillips with more this morning from london. mark, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, jeff. for the past ten years in australia they have been living through a drought, what they have called the big dry. know they're having to cope with the big wet. recordbreaking floods. it's not just the amount of water, it's the speed with which it arrived. they're calling it an instant inland tsunami. once an n a generation torrential rains inland sent a flood crest down the valleys to the coast and now it's hitting brisbane, a city of 2 million people on what's usually known as the sunshine coast. >> we can take no comfort from the blue sky. the water and the rain have already done the damage. they're in the catchman and on the way down our river system. >> reporter: the rising waters and more than 40 people are

missing. entire families have been swept away. others scrambled on to roof tops awaiting rescue. those lucky enough to have warning have been trying to move their belongings to higher ground. but even that doesn't work when the waters are due to reach the highest flood levels in a century. in brisbane, alone, at least 20,000 houses are expected to be flooded out. the floodwaters expected to peak later today which, of course, overnight in australia. nobody knows quite what to wake up to tomorrow. jeff? >> mark phillips in london, thanks. it was one year ago today a massive effort qua ivive earthq haiti. the capital port-au-prince was left in ruin. it's believed 230,000 people died in that earthquake. despite worldwide pledges of nearly $6 billion, recovery is painfully slow. less than 5% of the debris is cleared. and more than 800,000 remain homeless. many living under tents and

tarps. we went to haiti one year later and much more in the next hour. conrad murray, the doctor for michael jackson, ordered to stand trial now. the los angeles judge decided yesterday there was enough evidence for the trial on involuntary manslaughter charges. murray caring for jackson when charges. murray caring for jackson when he diedvl murray's california medical license also suspended. members of the jackson family attended every day of the six-day hearing. >> can you share your thoughts with us? >> yes. i'm so happy so far. thank you. license was taken away. >> the doctor pleaded not guilty and faces up to four years in prison if convicted. david nelson, the eldest son on the adventures of ozzie and harriet, has died. >> look like a skeleton. >> that's for the party at school. >> i'll only use a little of it. >> i can see the headlines now. boy uses school funds to turn brother into skeleton. >> he was the last surviving

member of the nelson's tv family. he died yesterday at the home in los angeles after battling complications of colon cancer. david nelson was 74 years old. 15 minutes past the hour. we'll head back outside and check in with marysol castro who's out in the snow this morning. good morning. >> good morning, jeff. good morning, everyone at home. turn you straight to the thank you very much. well, we don't have anything like that going on here. sunshine expected today with slightly warmer temperatures. a look toward the bay bridge.

the sunrise coming around 7:25. cloudy defense start and a mix of sun and clouds expected throughout the afternoon. mid- to upper 50s today. showers back in the bay area thursday. and we'll take these seasonal temperatures into the weekend. >> thanks so much. that's your latest weather. now back over to chris and erica. >> watch out for the snowplows out there. be careful. just ahead on a very serious note, the woman who was with the youngest victim of the tucson shootings now crying out for the little girl as she coe r e covers in the hospital. we'll speak with her husband bill who you see right there and learn more about the fateful day and how she's coping. also coming up, susan koeppen explains why renting a car could be more dangerous than you'll imagine. we'll show you why. this is "the early show" on cbs. ♪ express yourself

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[ male announcer ] 2 in 1 swiffer sweeper gives cleaning a whole new meaning. 9-year-old christina and suzi hileman was interested in civic matters. christina lost her life on that day. this morning, hearing from bill, suzi's husband. also coming up this morning, we assume when we rent a car we get a safe vehicle but the investigation reveals that's not always the case. susan koeppen with the details when we come back. this is "the early show" on cbs. i have astigmatism. so my old contact lenses would sometimes move out of place and blur my vision. my eye doctor said there's great news for people with astigmatism. acuvue® oasys for astigmatism. he said it's the only lens of its kind

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no injuries in this morning's two- alarm fire in san jose. it sit 7:25. time for news headlines. no injuries in this morning's two-alarm fire in san jose. it was the herb appeal pot club on drake street that burned around 3:00 a.m. we have been that he would the first fire engine on the scene didn't have any water because of budget cuts. it was a magnitude 4.5 earthquake. the epicenter was east ofmonteray bay, but several people around the bay area felt it. we have no reports of damage or injuries. well, it was apparently a big rig that killed dozens of birds. the birds were scatter add cross highway 101 this weekend.

a witness said she saw a flock of birds dip into the path of the truck and then get hit. traffic and your weather forecast coming up. ,,,,,,,,,,,,

good morning. in the traffic center, one of our slow spots continues to be on highway 4 westbound. the top of the brakes from 8th street.

we have reports of a broken down vehicle as you approach willow pass road, the number three lane. on the bay bridge, business as usual. meters lights on, slow and go. on the east shore freeway approach. and the san ma at a owe bridge, not too bad. and slow through 280. thank you. well, wednesday morning forecast, we are expecting more sunshine today. and here's a nice look at a shot just along the coastline today. sunshine expected with slightly warmer temperatures. a look at the seven-day forecast. temperatures in the mid- to upper 50s. chance of showers thursday, more sunshine friday, saturday sunday and monday as we move into a holiday weekend. temperatures are seasonal today and well through the weekend. ,,,,,,,,

welcome back to "the early show," i'm chris wragge along with erica hill. snow falling in new york city. about eight inches of snow. it stopped. schools are open. we're open. city fully functioning right now. >> a beautiful picture out there. and this morning on "the early show," it's not just snow we're covering. >> coming up the homeless man with the golden voice, the video of ted williams went viral getting millions of hits. now he's apparently had a run-in with the police in southern california. daughter says he's fallen off the wagon and may be drinking again. and we're going to bring you the very latest. >> also ahead this morning, when you rent a car you probably don't think about much at the counter beyond whether you should get the extra insurance or not. turns out there are a lot of things you need to know. why you're going to think twice about driving off in that rental car.

this report from susan koeppen could literally save your life. stay with us for that. first, though, the youngest victim of saturday's massacre in tucson, as we all know by now, was 9-year-old christina taylor green. and with her that day was her very close family friend suzi hileman her neighbor. suzi was shot and wounded. we're going to speak with suzi's husband bill in just a moment. first we want to give you a look at how christina and suzi came to be together on that tragic morning. of all the lives lost in saturday's massacre, perhaps none has gripped the nation more than 9-year-old christina taylor grown. the bright-eyed 9-year-old was at congresswoman giffords' event with neighbor and close family friend suzi hileman. >> and suzi and christina are generationally apart but very much birds of a feather. >> reporter: i spoke to suzi's husband bill earlier this week between visits with his wife in the hospital. he told me suzi and christina were waiting in line to speak with congresswoman giffords when all hell broke loose. >> suzi was holding her hand and they were trying to get away.

and just pop, pop, pop. >> a guy came to the safeway and started shooting. >> reporter: when it was over, suzi, shot several times, lay seriously hurt. while christina was fatally wounded. her parents, roxanna and john green, say their prayers are with suzi hileman. >> she's just a very strong woman. amazing lady. she's going to be fine. >> reporter: bill hileman says his wife is tormented by what happened to her little friend. >> i hear her in her semiconscious ramblings, screaming out, christina, christina! let's get out of here. let's get out of here! >> reporter: suzi and christina were 50 years apart but had an undeniable connection. a common interest in civic issues. and are now forever bound by tragedy. what was it about christina that was so specious? >> it's those young ones that are so precocious and connect with adults. she was engaging to adults. she was a little girl who was going places. >> joining us this morning from

university medical center in tucson is suzi's husband bill hileman. bill, good to have you back with us this morning. how is suzi doing? >> suzi had her second surgery yesterday on the fractured hip, and the doctor informed us all went extremely well. we get this morning to get the new x-rays and learn just all about the various screws and plates that have been put in there. but she is expected to have a nice, full recovery. although a very long, physical rehab. >> and that physical rehab is, of course, just one part of her recovery. i mean you expressed a great deal of concern to me when we spoke on monday. the hospital staff has, as well, though, about the emotional concern for her. how -- does she understand at this point, you think, fully what happened on saturday? >> i think it's become clearer and clearer as each day has gone by. she still remains under a lot of pain medication, and still is not really speaking in paragraphs so much as in sentence by sentence. but she is aware of what's happened.

and the sadness is definitely part of what she's dealing with in her recovery at this point. >> how much of what happened is she -- is she able to talk about with you or to tell you? are you getting a real picture from her at this point? >> we've been putting pieces together. it's not the type of thing where we really want to initiate the questions. but, it -- she has let it out bit by bit. and it's getting easier to kind of get the entire scene of what occurred. >> i know you are so close with the green family, and when they moved to your neighborhood a couple years ago, both families immediately connected. you said to me that dallas and christina helped you and suzi play grandparents. what is it about the connection that suzi and christina had? because they really had an incredible bond. >> suzi has always had a particular proclivity for the young kids. she likes the semiblank slate of

their youth. and opportunities to intrigue and influence just seemed to gravitate towards her. christina was one of those children who are very, very comfortable with adults. her parents have done a wonderful, wonderful job of raising her, and she's a very poised young girl. and suzi can be challenging, but she's also very engaging, and the chemistry between the two of them was there from their first encounter. >> and they had that common interest in politics and chris main's parents told us she was really starting to ask a lot of questions and suzi was great with that and encouraging that and that's why they wanted to go to this event on saturday, correct? >> exactly so. and suzi has long taken advantage of any time out. good, positive role models for young girls. she particularly likes to make those connections. >> this has got to be especially difficult for you guys. i know suzi was holding on to christina when all of this happened. you have been in touch with roxanna and john green. they don't seem to hold any

grudge. but it's tough for you, as well, to be in this position. is there any comfort or solace for you, for your wife, even for the greens, that at that moment in christina's life, suzi was there to provide as much comfort and solace as one can? >> my wife has incredible mothering instincts. you can even ask -- we've got two 20-plus-year-olds that will testify to

>> just ahead on "the early show," you may be putting yourself in serious danger the next time you rent a car. >> the disturbing results of an "early" show investigation when we come back. this is "the early show" here on cbs. happybaby strives to make the best organic baby food. in a business like ours, personal connections are so important. we use our american express open gold card

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dealership to sell a car that is part of an open safety recall. but did you know that rental car agencies don't have to follow that same rule? so we wanted to see if we could find a recalled car on a rental lot. we focused on the chevy cobalt. a popular car for rental companies and it's also part of a safety recall. our investigation took us to boston where we rented a 2010 chevy cobalt. >> i was just calling to find out if the vehicle that i'm in has been part of the recall, and has had it fixed? a quick call to chevy and we confirmed the cobalt we were about to drive was part of a recall for a steering problem. but had never been fixed. according to a national highway traffic safety administration report, consumers allege that the cobalt's electric power steering fails suddenly while driving. resulting in 36 crashes and fires. and 22 reported injuries.

we alerted the manager at the avis lot. >> chevy just told us that this car was on this lot part of the open recall. and the car was immediately taken out of service. >> the reality is you're playing russian roulette with rental cars. >> reporter: clarence ditlow is president of the watchdog group, the center for auto safety. do you think that rental car companies are knowingly letting consumers rent cars that need to be fixed? >> the rental car companies are knowingly doing this. >> reporter: and just hoping for the best? >> the gamble is that there won't be a crash while you're renting it. >> reporter: carol houck lost her two daughters in a crash involving a rental car. >> the steering ability was lost. and they veered into oncoming traffic, and hit a 18-wheeler head-on. >> reporter: turns out, the pt cruiser from enterprise rent a car was part of an open safety

recall for a steering defect. >> had my girls been informed at the time that they rented this vehicle, i doubt very seriously they would have rented the car. >> reporter: in a statement to cbs news, enterprise holdings, america's largest rental company, says, quote, given all we have learned, today we would not rent the vehicle the houck sisters were driving until it was repaired. as for the recalled cobalt we rented, avis budget group says quote, even in the rare event of such failure, the vehicles can always be steered. although greater steering effort may be needed at low speeds and during parking maneuvers. >> i want this not to happen to anyone else. >> reporter: for carol houck, she has to deal with the loss of her two daughters, all because a rental car wasn't fixed. >> we're not talking about investments here, we're talking about people's lives. >> and this past june a california court awarded the houcks a $15 million judgment against enterprise. so if you're a consumer you're

going to rent a car, you should ask right there if this car part of a recall? if they can't give you an answer, then you can take the vvlt i.n. and you can call the company and find out directly. >> all right, susan, thank you very much. coming up next, he took america by storm, but now the homeless man with the golden voice has a runnin' with the police. we're going to tell you exactly what happened to ted williams.ne ? 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. >> 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.

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for people with astigmatism. acuvue® oasys for astigmatism. he said it's the only lens of its kind designed to realign naturally with every blink and created with hydraclear® plus. i'm seeing more clearly, crisply, comfortably, all day long. now life doesn't have to be a blur. [ male announcer ] learn more at acuvue.com. acuvue® oasys for astigmatism. you're not on drugs, you're not on cho 234 >> no, i'm not. >> you could pass a drug test right now? >> yes. >> by going in this bottle? >> yes, i could. >> you could do it and you would do it? >> yes. >> and you'd pass it? >> yes. >> ted williams. remember ted from last week, took america by storm with that voiceover talent. now he's run into a little bit of trouble. >> he has. >> with the police in los angeles, they were called to his hotel for a altercation. no charges have been filed. >> verbal altercation with his -- >> yeah, exactly. one of his daughters.

>> what's interesting, too, because there was so much talk and we asked ted specifically about this when he was on the show last week with his mother after they were reunited what the concern was for, you know, going back down that slippery road. he had a really tough time in the past. a lot of people are concerned about the fame and how that could affect his recovery for his addictions, among other things. so here with us this morning to give us a better sense of that is psychologist and early show contributor dr. jennifer hartstein. >> good morning. >> some people are saying hey, it's inevitable. but did you expect something so quickly? >> we're still trying to figure out. i don't think we have all the details is really the truth. what we know is there was a very loud altercation with his daughter in a hotel room and the police were called and they were brought in. there's some reports that he said something that infuriated her, she went after him. she's reporting he's drinking. he said no. we have to find of anything your out. he's denying it. >> it's a lot for anybody, though. >> yes. >> this is a man who was now in the national spotlight. he's got all this money that's now coming into his account. a week ago he was literally standing streetside with a sign

begging for dollars. >> that's right. newfound fame huge. we have to be aware of what he's going to do. is he at greater risk? yes. the answer is we have to really monitor him. >> it's interesting, too, the police have come out and said they held him for about an hour. but they're really downplaying the incident. saying, you know, there was a disagreement. there was an argument. they're not, you know, essentially freaking out over it. >> i think the one thing we also have to remember, he mentioned this yesterday, saw an interview he did, if i roll down my window to just flick out a cigarette butt, everybody's taking pictures of it and everyone's reporting on it. >> exactly, he's in the spotlight. we are looking at him in a microscope, so everything he does, we're like examining every move, and it's going to be risky for him. he's right, everybody's watching to see him slip up. >> when you've got someone in a fragile state like this. he has a troubled past. >> absolutely. >> what can he do? >> he needs to final those social supports that are going to protect him. dr. phil is going to help him, that would be great. >> and surround yourself with people who care about you, not your money.

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san francisco police are looking for the person who shot at a muni b sit 7:55. time for news headlines. san francisco police looking for the person who shot a bus. no one was injured, but there are two bullet holes in the windows. they found the bus was hit around 9:30 last night. police found the bullet casings on the street. drivers will soon find out if toll increases actually reduce traffic during commute peak hours. researchers are expected to release a report on the con yes toll on the bridge. and the nation's first gay museum opening today in san francisco's district. the museum will chronicle the evolution of what organizers call the liberation of the lbjt community. it will showcase a variety of items including harvey milk's

pink framed sun glasses. traffic and weather in just a moment. stay with us. ,,,,,,,,,,

good morning. look out for an accident southbound 101. a couple cars tangled up, trying to move it out of the number two lane to the right shoulder. traffic backing up through the area. once you past the accident, things look better approaching the golden gate bridge. 17 minutes from 37 to 586. that's a little bit busier than

usual. once you hit the bridge, traffic looks good through that portion. southbound northbound 101, a broke car. and westbound 580 at 14th, the off-ramp is blocked. that's traffic. let's check the forecast. >> thank you. looking out towards the transamerica building, sunshine. a lot of it. and that's what we're expecting for today. plenty of sunshine and slightly warmer temperatures. a look at that time seven-day forecast. and it's showing temperatures that remain seasonal today, well through the weekend. and now the chance of showers in the bay area tomorrow. and after that, more sunshine. sit a holiday weekend and looks good. sunday a few clouds expected, but other than that, a nice stretch of days. that's your weather. moving back to "the early show" in just a few moments. ,,,,

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beautiful pictures for you, as the sun is coming up. look at that gorgeous glow and the snow. welcome back to "the early show" on a snowy wednesday morning here in new york city. i'm erika hill with chris wragge. we're not hiding from the snow this morning. >> we embrace it fully. >> we wanted to come out for the whole show but they told us no. we have cool toys for anybody dealing with the snow. you get to drink hot chocolate and and you can have snowball fights. >> oh, yeah. >> there you go. >> i was working on this one before. can you track this? do we have a cameraman who's quick enough? here we go. >> wragge. >> let's see.

>> oh, we hit the apple store. >> sorry guys. >> there goes our discount. >> tough it to throw. >> you heard it make the crack. whether or not someone who could follow that snowball. the crew behind us. >> they're ready to go. >> holding snowballs. good luck with that. >> this is great out here this morning. we're in good shape. mayor bloomberg did a nice job of plowing the whole place. >> he did. >> we're going to have more on the fun toys you can play with in the snow, not just for kids, of course, but for adults too. kids at heart. that's coming up. >> exactly. >> we'll have fun. but also this is kind of interesting, a growing number of people out there, especially those without health insurance, are buying in home and on-line tests from cholesterol to liver function. but is this really a good thing? is this a good idea? dr. ashton is here on advice when home testing is okay and when you really need to do it the old-fashioned way and see a doctor. >> the self-diagnosis may not always be the best option. before we get to all that. >> more snowball. >> marysol castro is just a

little bit across the way on columbus circle with another check of the weather. chris can almost throw a snowball that far, marysol, but not quite. >> i was going to say, chris wragge, you are way too dreamy with that throw. >> no, no, no. let's just stop. going to go to his head. >> please. >> i'm sorry. let me -- i'll leave the eco stroking for later. i will try to make a snowball with this gadget and guarantee you it's not going to work. while we're waiting for this to

>> this weather report responsed by farmers insurance. find a knowledgeable local farmers agent at farmers.com. we are insurance, we are farmers. >> thank you so much, that was your national outlook. now back over to the news desk with jeff. >> marysol, do they really have a device that makes snowballs for you? >> i -- they do. you know, gone are the days of just -- >> this is a travesty. there we go. that's how you do it. nicely done. no, put that thing down. put that thing down. good morning, marysol, good morning, everyone. president obama travels to arizona today. he'll speak at a memorial for the vitss of saturday's shooting and meet with family members. ♪ >> hundreds attended a church service last night to pray for the injured and remember those who were killed. sheriff's deputies meanwhile say they've been called to the home of shooting suspect jared

loughner at least once before saturday's attack. loughner's parents issued a statement yesterday saying there are no words that can possibly express how we feel. randy and amy loughner, we wish there were, so we could make you feel better. we don't understand why this happened. >> they're devastated. i think that's hurting them as much as anything else. you know. do you have a son? how would you feel if your son did it? you would feel like it's -- your ito blame for the people getting shot. >> this morning's "wall street journal" published on-line postings apparently from jared loughner in a gaming website. one said does anyone have aggression, 2724/7. another i was fired from five places, i had to walk out of red robin, terrible situation, mental breakdown. doctors say the congresswoman gabrielle giffords can breathe on her own but remains on a ventilator to prevent infection. giffords' husband mark kelly is

remaining a vigil. doctors say giffords is holding her own, able to follow simple demands but her left side is stronger than her right. >> sarah palin is speaking out about the tucson shooting. in a posting on her facebook page palin said she was troubled by those who tried to pin blame. >> as i said while campaigning for others last march in arizona, during a very heated primary race, i said, we know violence isn't the answer. when we take up our arms, we're talking about our vote. yes, our debates are full of passion, but we settle our political differences respectfully. >> during the 2010 election her website included a map of congressional districts marked with cross hairs where the tea party targeted incumbents it wanted to unseat, including giffords. it's a sign of the times states taking action to counter massive budget problems. in illinois lawmakers approved a 66% income tax increase to try to resolve their budget crisis. in new jersey, governor chris christy called for overhauling

teacher tenure and closing poor performing schools. in california, governor jerry brown ordered cell phones cut for 48,000 state employees that will save $20 million a year. a spectacular meteor show last night, the meteor was captured in a photo by a man in oklahoma. take a look at this. described as emerald green with a red and yellow tail. the meteor was seen from oklahoma to louisiana, mississippi and other southern states. secretary of state hillary clinton took a nasty fall as she boarded her plane yesterday. clinton was leaving yem men for the next stop on her middle east tour, oman. secretary of state is okay this morning. it is seven minutes past the hour right now. and we are going to move on over to chris now. >> all right. thanks so much. coming up next, more and more people are skipping their doctors visits these days and buying do-it-yourself medical tests. dr. ashton has the pros and cons of that when we come back. this is "the early show" on cbs. on cbs.

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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. . this morning's health watch do-it-yourself medical tests a growing number of people are skipping the time and expense of a doctor's visit and ordering tests on-line. which screen for everything from vitamin levels to stds. medical correspondent dr. jennifer ashton is here to tell us if this is such a great idea. good morning. >> good morning. >> what's the big advantage for doing this at home? >> for certain types of tests the real advantage it could save you money and save you time. anyone who's been to a doctor's office know they need to go for a quick follow-up test and could take you hours and money. both would be advantageous of the do-it-yourself tests. >> doctors when you hear something like this, do you

think it's a good idea? >> for some things, yes. for simple things or chronic conditions that require frequent monitoring like your blood pressure, cholesterol, on some levels, diabetes, even an occasional eury nary tract or bladder infection, pregnancy tests they can be fine. we need to remember it doesn't come with a medical degree and that's where it gets trickier. >> ordering your own medical tests on-line that's something becoming en vogue these days as well. there's got to be downsides to that? >> absolutely. you want to know what type of tests you're ordering and is it going to an accredited lab. any time we order tests, the lab that processes that test is of utmost importance. on-line will there are a lot of scams as with anything. if they tell you they're going to sell you something to treat what they're testing that's a red flag there. >> none of us like it to go to a doctor's office and have to sit for 45 minutes, an hour. the big question, this is convenient, but is it safe? >> well, that depends.

again, you know, when you want -- when you talk about these things you have to ask yourself, what will you do with the result? that's something that even doctors have a hard time with. don't order a test unless you know what you're going to do with the result. as a patient sitting at home you might get something you don't understand what it means, might generate a tremendous amount of anxiety, some cases might generate unnecessary tests. if you pick up the phone and call your doctor and say i got x result, now what i do with it, guess what doctor is going to say, come into my office, i'm going to have to repeat that test because i may not trust the lab and you're setting off a cascade of events. >> is this a trend picking up, more and more doing it because of the cost and convenience? >> i think it is. like so so many things. you're going to see more genetic tests offered on-line where you can check your code for certain diseases. how we use that in clinical medicine is a question mark today. >> let's talk about tips if you are considering doing this stuff at home. >> right. again, first you want to ask yourself, is this going to save you the time and expense of actually going to the doctor?

how many doctors will then subsequently say i need to repeat that test once you bring them the result. is it fda approved? so many of these tests may be available to be done, but they're not fda approved like so many things. that should be a red flag. is the lab to which they're sending the result accredited? some legitimate organization like the college of american pathologists, for example, you want to make sure where they're sending your blood, urine or stool specimen will process that sample accurately and does your doctor approve, because again, chris, when you get that result, if you call your doctor, and say, dr. smith, i just got this result, what do i do now? the first thing the doctor is going to say is, why did you do that test? make sure you check with your doctor. he or she will say, sure, absolutely you can follow that at home or don't do that test at home, not such a good idea. >> for some of these tests you pick up at stores, fda approval will be on the box. you have to look around. >> it should be and again your doctor should be able to tell you do it, don't do it. >> dr. jennifer ashton, thanks

so much. coming up next, haiti, one year after the devastating earthquake. jeff glor returns to mark the anniversary and see how residents of the troubled nation are recovering. this is "the early show" on cbs. that story coming up next. troubled nation are recovery. >> cbs healthwatch sponsored by splimfast. slim fast, who has time to slim slowly. slim fast. slim fast, who has time to slim slowly? the clinically proven way to lose weight now. slim-fast. who has time to slim slowly? all you expect from the number-one recommended detergent by dermatologists. all free clear is free of dyes and perfumes. and has powerful stainlifters to help get your whole wash clean. it's all good.

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today marks a grim anniversary. just one year ago that a massive earthquake devastated the caribbean nation of haiti. jeff glor was one of the first american journalists on the scene there. he returned this past weekend to check in on how the recovery is going. you were a little apprehensive as to what you would find. >> yeah. and it's not going great to be honest. haiti was already a very difficult place to begin with. the poorest nation in the western hemisphere. even before the earthquake. after it's far worse. with little indication things will improve any time soon. >> the world is coming to an end! >> reporter: it was 4:53 p.m.,

january 12th, 2010. >> a major disaster may be unfolding right now in haiti. >> reporter: a 7.0 magnitude earthquake, centered 16 miles west of port-au-prince, haiti's capital and largest city. a staggering 230,000 people died. 300,000 more were hurt. during the first days after -- you had six children? >> get out get out. >> reporter: as aftershocks rattled the nation, we saw little being done to help those in desperate need. one year later, almost $6 billion in aid has been pledged. they're not paying attention? >> no. >> reporter: but we returned to find that in many spots it's hard not to feel like the earthquake just happened yesterday. it's believed more than 800,000 people remain homeless. living under tarps and in tents.

clean drinking water is a luxury. rubble remains everywhere. including inside a famed symbol of haitian independence. haiti's presidential palace is in even worse shape than it was just after the earthquake, because much of the building in the past year has crumbled inward. and directly across the street from what is this country's white house, a tent city full of homeless people. you're trying to make a statement by being here outside the white house? >> no, i'm trying to say like only reason we come, to show from the white house, i think that it will bring more attention to us. but they will pay no attention to us. >> reporter: this man can't even find charcoal to cook with. never mind the food. he has five children to feed. is there anything you've seen that gives you hope? >> >> translator: i don't see, no. >> reporter: just after the earthquake, frustration boiled

over most dramatically in this city's center. this is downtown port-au-prince today. you can see it's busy at midday. business is returning, markets here are back open. but still, in this area, six in ten people remain unemployed. it was nearly impossible to find a police or emergency vehicle on the streets after the quake. now, you can see here in some cases law and order is back. these are two men who were apparently caught stealing. they've been followed through the streets by a large group of people, and chastised all the way to the police station. each step in the recovery proceeds on a small scale. these are transitional homes. a 12x16 foot structure that might house a family of 15. that is considered progress. 26-year-old will fred messina was one of an estimated 150,000 amputees. a welder with a wife and young

son, he got a new leg. and his old job back. i can see the smile on your face when you talk about it, this has made all the difference for you. >> oh, yes. >> reporter: but those few gains being made are often offset by more setbacks. in october, haiti was hit by a cholera crisis that killed 3500. in november a disputed presidential election that has yet to be resolved. one year later, haiti is still hurting. its future still hanging in the balance. you go back thinking and hoping that things will improve or have improved. and there are so many areas where they just haven't. >> it's heartbreaking. we saw, you know, one of those end shots of your piece, a little bit of construction. but there was so much concern right after the earthquake about people even trying to rebuild bought there are no building codes and the materials that they use are not safe. >> there are no building codes and so much of that debris remains. one of the biggest things when

we went down there first was with all the debris in the road. and a lot of the bebroi from the roads has been cleared. other than that the houses that came down, the buildings that came down, there is miserable rebuilding. $6 billion pledged. does it look like any of that money is getting there? significant portions of it at least? >> some of it is. in these very small pockets. these aid workers are very dedicated. they come from all over the place and they devote these lives to helping now. but it just is very small spots. and not all of that money has been distributed. they say they want to do it the right way. >> i would imagine that figuring out where the need is most prevalent has to be nearly impossible. >> it's very, very difficult. >> it looks like when you're talking about that amount of money and that amount of need, where do you start? >> and because the need, as you said, too, was already so great before this hit, that makes it even more difficult to figure out where you begin. >> they're talking about ten years before haiti at least is back to where it was even before the earthquake, and before it was the poorest nation in the western hemisphere.

>> all right, jeff, thank you. >> thanks. >> stay with us. we'll be right back. you're watching t"the early sho" here on cbs.,,,,,,

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tv like you've never seen before. at&t. looking into an overnight fire at a medical marijuana it's 8:25. time for news headlines. san jose investigators are looking into an overnight fire at a medical marijuana dispensary. the fire broke out around 3:00 this morning at herb appeal west of downtown. a portion of the home were destroyed. no one was injured. the legal battle between the facebook co-founder and the boss twins is not over yet. the two claim the social network was their idea. in 2008, they agreed to settle their lawsuit against him for $65 million. yesterday they asked the court to throw that agreement out. they claimed they were duped into settling for the amount because facebook lawyers and

representatives misrepresented the value of the company. traffic and the weather coming up. ,,,,,,,,,,,,

good morning. reports of ongoing construction that may slow you down. willow avenue off-ramp from the eastbound side of 80. that's closed until 2:00. slow and go from highway 4 into the approach of berkeley. gets better, the bay bridge, traffic looking good. the metering lights still orange but no delays at the

toll plaza. slow and go from 37th down. an earlier accident, that's now clear. south of there, traffic improves, 22 minutes from 37 to 580. the bridge, no troubles through area. and brake lights from the airport down to south 101. that's a look at that time morning commute. and now the forecast. >> thank you. forecast for today, we are going to squeeze out quite a bit of sunshine. a look out, we have clouds here, but also blue skies. forecast for today, temperatures going up. love it. the seven-day forecast, highs in the mid- to upper 50s. some showers back in the bay area thursday. friday sunshine. and nice holiday weekend. saturday, sunday and monday mix of sun and clouds and seasonal temperatures expected to be with us through the weekend. ,,,,,,,,

let's have the talk. today william shatner. you know he's a vegetarian, fluent in french and teaches horseback riding. plus courtney thorne-smith, the talk today live on cbs. welcome back to the "early" show here on a snowy wednesday morning here in new york city and other parts of the northeast right now. you think you could make some great snowballs by just picking up some snow? look at these -- >> that is unbelievable. >> it's just perfect. >> and watch this. it is like a perfect snowball.

>> perfect snowball. >> i want to be on your team. >> very mice. very nice. this is just one of the many toys that we have for you this morning. cool new snow toys we're going to show you on the "early" show. our good friend shannon eis is here packing one inside as well. this is the portable -- do you know what i like about that? it's almost like a handbag. you just carry it with you. >> just check the room temperature. >> a snowball maker. >> also ahead, inflation hasn't been a major problem in recent years but prices already starting to creep up in 2011 and, unfortunately, you can expect that trend to continue. we have some tips to help save you money on everything from food to clothing to health insurance. >> oh, wow. that's good. >> and is there anything better in the middle of a blizzard, very cold temperatures, a lot of snow, than making something really cold? comfort food. ice cream. we have our comfort food cookbook. there's gail simmons. you know her. she will help us each make our own ice cream concoction this morning. >> and she is the queen of

desserts. she has a show all about desserts, people making desserts. she's the ultimate judge. >> yes. i find texture makes all the difference. >> you like a little crunch in your ice cream? >> i don't want to give away too much. >> you like potato chips on your sandwich like i do. a little texture. it doesn't take much with chris wragge. >> it went over the truck behind us. >> that thing works. >> former quarterback, ladies and gentlemen, right here. we've got him on the "early" show. i'm going to do a little weather if you guys don't mind. >> you should probably move for all of us. >> let's take a look at the radar because this nor >> tha

thanks so much. that's your latest weather. now back inside with erica. >> marysol, thanks. it's a good thing marysol is watching the segment because her boys is going to need some of these toys. the weather outside may be frightful for a lot of folks. not if you're a kid, though. let's embrace your inner kid. we are having some fun with the snow this morning. shannon eis is here with some of her favorite toys pour the snow for kids and adults. you always have such fun stuff. >> i hope so. >> and today is no disappointment. >> yes. >> it's, of course, everybody looks at the weather. our kids had to go to school this morning but a lot of kids are saying, snow day, i can go sledding. and you have -- i mean, these are nothing like the sleds you and i had when we were kids. >> no, what's really, really smart about them, super light. we trek ours back and forth to central park and the kids can

carry them. this is from whammo, the frisbee company and lots of outdoor play. they have mastered it for the snow. this is a disk. a single disk rider and also down here we have the ski-doo, the two person sled. can get in a lot of trouble with with that. a lot of fun. this is a single person sled as well and comes in a great polar bear and penguin. this is what my son is trekking back and forth. >> for little ones they can hold on to the handle and it's light. they can do the work. >> slick bottom, soft foam on top. comfortable for kids and easy to maneuver. >> and reasonable, too, which is nice. you cannot have a snow day without snowballs. >> i know. >> i'm a purist. pick it up and you pack it unless there's a battle in the park you need to get to. >> unless you need to get it 100 feet or further as we saw chris can throw. this is sort of a launcher. so on top we have our snowball former and then put your snowball inside and it is a slingshot and this is a triple and this is a single. >> and this snowball former, can i pick this up or am i going to get in trouble?

you just put the snow in here and we close it and there we go and i take it and put it inside. >> and launch it about 100 feet. >> i like it but i don't want to be on the receiving end. >> here is another one. >> love this. so this is called the track ball. again, a single form but it is highlight style so it launches also about 100 feet. really great play. >> we have two of these in my house. it's the poor man's vuvuzela. >> yes, it is. >> and it is and you can use it for snowballs. >> really easy to use, to store. what's funny about it, it's kids who don't want to get their hands messy in the snow. >> when your kid walks to the park, it helps as a cane. you think i'm kidding. try it. here is is another one, a more portable size of snowball maker. >> throw it in your bag minus the launcher and easy to buy for kids who want symmetrical

snowballs. >> keep it in your freezer at the ready. hold on, i have to go inside. what are these? >> this is the defense part of your snowball attack. this is your shield. so really fantastic. it has the two grips in the back and comes with a sack that attaches to it to store all your snowballs in. >> this takes it to a whole new level. >> essential. >> i'm ready for you chris wragge. go ahead, try it. >> looks good. >> it's essential-again, all the stuff very affordable and available at the toy stores during the season. >> and it weighs nothing. >> this is for the serious snow folks. this is a brick maker. if you are going to make a snow fort, this is a quick way to get your igloo built in no time. >> i love it all. like i said, you always have the best stuff. >> thank you. >> and it's nice for parents. i hope you get to enjoy the snow today, do a little sledding. for more on these products logon to earlyshow.cbsnews.com. now here's chris.

erica, you're so lucky we're inside. in this morning's "moneywatch," inflation fears. analysts say prices will be rising on essential items and services. some predictions and solutions. >> good to see you, chris. >> we're going to talk about the increasing costs of just about everything and we'll start with groceries because that's going up. >> yeah, it's going up and people are probably feeling it at the grocery store already. they are predicting you will see 2% to 3% higher grocery costs overall this year but that's overall. when you actually break it down and you look at meat costs, for example, at the meat counter, you are probably going to pay 4% more this year. so you want to think about ways you can cut back on that bill. >> yeah, so what are some measures people can take to save at the grocery store? >> coupons. you don't have to do it the old-fashioned way anymore. coupons through great websites that allow you to search for things you're going to buy and have them ready to go from the comfort of your own home and have it all ready. think about budgeting and think about preplanning. one of the biggest mistakes, and

there are studies out there that show people spend more at the grocery store because they don't go with a list and stick to it and they don't stick to the budget. if you do that, you can save a lot of money. >> it's like shopping without a list, you go in and buy everything you don't need. >> on impulse. >> you don't have to sit there and cut out coupons. >> that's the old-fashioned way. >> we always talk about gas prices skyrocketing. >> and gas prices are back near $100 a barrel. this is probably something people will see more of, rising prices at the pump this year. there are some analysts out the there came on this program who predicted we'd see $5 of gas in the next couple of years. to save on that shop at some of the wholesale clubs like costco, sam's club. they'll save you about 10 cents a gallon. don't go so far out of your way. i mean, if they're not near you and you drive far, you're wasting the mileage. >> 20 miles out of your way. how about heating your home? >> also is going to be impacted by the rising cost of oil. so if you want to save on heating your home, one of the

things you can do is for every degree that you lower your thermostat you save on your bill. >> whatever you can get away with. clothing costs. >> yeah, well, cotton is the input in clothing in many clothing items and that's up 80% since last year. so one of the things you can do is shop for coupons online. retail and my bargain buddy are great and stick to that budget just like you stick to your grocery budget and stay away from the impulse buys. stay away from them when it comes to clothes. >> and so many different companies do have little discounts. you have online discounts you need to be aware of so you can take advantage of. we kind of talked about health care and medical costs before that a lot of people are doing at home testing and what not but those costs, as we know, are continuing to rise. >> premiums are up as much as 60%, projected to climb as much as 60% with some plans this year. one of the ways to get around that, and this tends to be good for people who are healthy individuals on the younger side

are the high deductible plans. what the high deductible plan will save you 40% to 50% on your premiums and the way that it works you have to meet a high deductible and once you meet that high deductible the plan kicks in. so it's really for emergencies. you'll pay more for doctor's visits. think about your health. it's probably not the right thing for someone who needs consistent visits to the doctor. for someone who wants an emergency, worst case scenario plan. >> always have to be careful what you skimp on. rebecca jarvis, thank you so much. >> thanks, chris. ♪ hey good looking what you got cooking how's about cooking something up for me ♪ >> you're comfort food cookoff series. we kicked off with grilled cheese, the challenge erica gave to us. the perfect five. how did they get five out of five? five is maximum? i am convinced that this will change today. i'm going to take the rocky road

to victory. >> oh, rocky road. >> one of my personal favorites. ice cream is our comfort food. we have gail simmons here. >> hi. >> your favorite comfort food as well? >> ice cream. jeff, i am so with you. ice cream for me is is the ultimate treat, right? it's the ultimate reward. >> on a very cold, snowy morning, why not add more cold. >> when life gives you snow, why not ice cream. i'm on it. >> the competition is going to begin in just a moment. before we do actually get started here, and don't cheat by starting yet, guys. >> we're just having a sample. >> testing. >> quality control right here. >> how to do this on our own, first of all, if you want to make it home because it's not that complicated. >> it isn't. ice cream is super rich, decadent, satisfying. why is it satisfying? it's made with good stuff. frie french style ice cream is cream, milk, sugar, eggs and your flavoring. that's what a custard is. that's what a custard base is

made from. you don't necessarily need to use the eggs. i'll make a simple version. my favorite flavor of ice cream is banana chocolate chip. this is my comfort food. a simple, quick version. three bananas in a blender. this is a great way to use sort of almost too ripe bananas as well. >> instead of banana bread. >> another version. i have some sugar. a little salt, a little vanilla extract and then some milk. >> whole milk? >> whole milk. >> the milk is key, correct? >> and cream, too. you want whole milk because you want it to be rich and creamy, right? and then the cream is going to come in after. >> if you're wondering why i don't have my apron on, they stole it after i performed so poorly. they revoked my apron status. i have to reearn it. >> there we go. in the blender you want to blend all of this up, get it going.

and then once it's all blended together, super easy, just pour in -- take that off. muscles. and pour in your cream. a little bit of cream. that's really what is going to make it rich and creamy. stir that up. and that's your ice cream base. that's really it. and that's going to go into my ice cream maker. i just turned it on. the base of the maker in here is freezing cold, right out of the freezer. it's been there overnight. >> this is one of the world's great inventions. we got one as a joke for friends of ours at a wedding, we use it all the time. you can make ice cream in 30 minutes. >> 25 or 30 minutes. the key is you have to make sure that cylinder is the right temperature. >> calls keep it in your freezer. >> and put the ingredients right in out of the freezer. >> how long? >> 20 minutes, i would say. everyone is a little different. watch it and when it starts to get thick, that's when i add my dark chocolate. i prefer dark chocolate. >> i'm with you. >> i have chunks of chocolate that i just chopped up here and

pour that right in. once it starts to thicken, like at the very end, and then after about five more minutes, you'll have your ice cream. >> while you are doing that, i think we should get in here. i have my strategy with the grilled cheese was to throw everything in and i think i'm going to do a similar strategy. >> do we have a knife anywhere? >> i have a knife. >> a knife? >> you may. are you ready? >> we already started. >> so i made chocolate ice cream here. >> excellent. now you have to keep in mind the combination here. there's a method to the madness when making ice cream. you want a little bit of salt, sweet, crunch. >> there's no method to my madness. >> or not. go jeff's way. >> i have a question, gail. >> yes, erica? >> am i taking the ice cream out and mixing it? >> the easiest thing is take it

out and mix it on the stone. the stone is freezing cold. the ice cream is already made. yeah, do it that way. use the paddle. >> i'm having an issue. >> is it just one issue, jeff? >> multiple issues are taking place. >> erica, tell me the flavor combination. >> here is the thing, i have a soft spot for pepper mint stick ice cream which is hard to find. but then i also think that the chocolate covered pretzel is the world's most perfect food. >> you're right. >> especially with dark chocolate. here a new combo premiering on the "early" show. i'm mixing in the candy cane with pepper mint stick and chocolate covered pretzels. i ate a pretzel with some candy canes and it was a burst of flavor that tasted like you were eating the ice cream with a bite of cone at the same time. >> you should judge food shows. >> is that an exclusive flavor? that's what i want to know. >> you have the first interview, exclusive interview about my ice cream. >> honestly, i think we need

some patents. it tell me what you are doing, jeff. i see you are mix iing up a sto. >> peanut butter, heath bar action, i like the chocolate/peanut butter mixture. >> i do, too. >> after i put it in the actual bowl and we have some caramel here, oreo cookies, which i have not used, and swedish fish, the greatest food in the history of the world. i don't think it's going to go in the actual ice cream but it will be -- >> that's for snacking on the side. >> a nice garnish, if you will. >> i like it. a garnish. >> there's a whole lot of talking going on. >> you are very focused. that's what i like about you. you are all business. >> there's a lot of talking going on. >> have you done this before? >> i used to work in a marble slab about a year ago. i'm kidding. i'm kidding. >> what's your flavor here? >> i'm going -- i'm kind of doing what jeff did yesterday. i love a good mint chocolate chip so that's --

>> classic. >> chris, keeping it classic didn't work for me yesterday just to warn you. >> i wanted to you get back into the competition. >> thank you. >> so that's it. i'm also feeding -- >> which is important. you need to make sure that you are not so hungry while you are eating. >> like going grocery shopping. >> gail, lovely to meet you. >> you, too. >> i have not a clue. i started with vanilla ice cream. i took some chocolate sauce and put peanut butter and then i need -- i like a texture, you know. it adds to the flavor. >> i've heard a little bit about marysol's love of food and her cooking expertise. >> this is captain crunch. don't get it twisted and don't -- >> that looks troubling. we're going to be back with the results of the comfort food cookoff ice cream. stay tuned.

you are going to want to see this. >> i'm excited to taste it.,,,,,

fancy.ited to taste it.,,,,, >> that's really nice. >> you really have to be -- >> mint chocolate chip right there. >> careful. >> nobody needs to bring a anything else. >> the presentation alone -- >> the results. >> be honest. go ahead. they can take it. >> hmm. that's -- yeah, you got a lot of chocolate. >> a lot of mint. >> i'm going to give that a 4. >> okay. >> delicious, lots of chocolate. >> you know, it's a classic flavor. >> 5. >> you could have just stepped it up just a little bit. given it some of your personality. >> it was, you know, 4 is pretty solid. >> that was really cute.

>> thank you is my -- captain crunch. i love the captain crunch. >> a 9? >> you need texture. >> that's a 5 to me. >> i'm telling you the texture is sa mazing. >> this whole competition -- >> i should be a professional eater. >> you've got to be careful of the little ones. just follow me marysol. >> she's in the lead. chris has nine. i need a strong showing here. and follow it up, after you actually eat ice cream, put a swedish fish. >> to wash it down? >> yes, exactly. it's nice a nice glass of wine. >> i think this is a five, too. >> ow! >> finally -- >> the gumption of the swedish fish chaser. four. great on texture. a little too much peppermint. >> the peppermint is nice. >> pretty delicious, though. >> look at the numbers. >> i'm still lagging. >> i've given up. >> i think you all did an incredible job. >> who is up tomorrow? >> me!

brace yourselves. >> say,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

kohara, with your c-b-s five headlines... it was apparently a big rig that killed dozens of birds in sonoma county. the dead birds were scattered across it is 8:55. good morning. it was apparently a big rig that killed dozens of birds. a witness says she saw a flock of birds dip into the path of a truck and get hit. san jose investigators looking into an overnight fire at a medical marijuana dispensary. if a their breaking -- that fire breaking out at the 3:00 this morning, at herb appeal just west of downtown. no one was injured. a moderate earthquake shook parts of northern california this morning, hitting at 12:51 a.m. it was a magnitude 4.5 centered

between salinas and holister. there have been several smaller aftershocks. no reports of significant damage or injuries. traffic and weather coming right up. stay with us. you're downloading movies. fast! from here? where is her cord?! we switched to at&t high speed internet and got wireless access. no more cords. wireless, okay, honestly, can i just get a cord, please? dad, the cord's invisible. [ female announcer ] for a limited time, call to get high speed internet for just $14.95 a month for 12 months with select services and a 1-year price guarantee. it's our fastest internet for the price. oooh. videos online? here? how much is that? nothin'. at&t high speed internet at home includes access here. our invisible cord is really long, dad. oooh. [ female announcer ] get access to the entire at&t national wi-fi network for no extra charge. so for a limited time, get high speed internet for just $14.95 a month for 12 months with select services and a 1-year price guarantee. aren't you glad we switched to at&t?

yes...but i want my own invisible cord. you already have one. oh. ♪ good morning, we're going to start you off in the east

bay. walnut creek. southbound 680, jammed solid towards the san ramon valley. this looks great, no big delay at all heading into san francisco. it's a nice drive from the incline to the s-curves. 880 through oakland, it just started to get busy in the northbound lanes towards the coliseum and towards high street. southbound 880 looks okay until you hit hayward. in the south bay, not too bad, we've seen it a lot worse at this time in the morning. that is your traffic. for area forecast, here's tracy. thank you. the forecast this morning, starting off along the coastline, a few clouds out there, and plenty of sunshine. forecast for today, we're going to squeeze out some warmer temperatures. take a look. highs in the mid- to upper 50s. tomorrow, 20 to 40% chance of showers, and more sunshine friday, saturday, sunday. sunday not so much sunshine,

but into the holiday weekend. seasonal temperatures, sticking around. ♪ [ music ] miles in 3 days-- i can do that. 60 miles compared to what a cancer patient goes through is a walk in the park. from the moment i registered, people started immediately supporting me. we had an outpouring of-- of support. i wanted to do something bigger than myself. the 60 miles-- it makes a statement. i know i'm stronger than i was before, both mentally and physically. i walk with my sister. our relationship has gone to a whole new level because of training together. you meet the most wonderful, inspiring people. i knew that there was something really special about this event. when you accomplish those 60 miles, it's truly life-changing. it was three days of hope. of love. of empowerment. it was three days the way the world should be. and i'm already signed up for next year's. (man) register today for the... and receive $25 off your registration fee. because everyone deserves a lifetime.