♪ good morning. winter's wrath. another powerful storm wallops the east coast from virginia to maine and 500,000 lose their way on travel. we will tell you what is going on this winter with mother nature. desperate search. a young mother disappears from her michigan home as police and family members plea with the public for help in finding her. speaking exclusively this morning with her husband. singer buffett tumbles off a stage in australia. he is rushed to the hospital. how is he doing? we will tell you "early" this thursday morning, january 27th,

2011. captioning funded by cbs it is another beautiful snowy morning here on the east coast. good morning. i'm erica hill. >> i'm chris wragge. pretty now. pretty annoying later on. mother nature doesn't know what she wants to do on the east coast. freeze us out or trap us with snow? >> hot chocolate sales must be through the roof this winter. this is actually laguardia. we had seen boston before there. a mess at airports. >> yeah. travel across the nation now going to feel the ripple effects for periods of the morning. jfk, newark airports here on the east coast were closed. laguardia maintained their operational status but going to cause widespread delays the entire day. >> the one upside for children in new york city, schools are closed. only the sixth time since 1978. they will get to enjoy the white stuff this morning. a lot of other folks will not.

the full impact of the storm all you have to do is count the numbers. up to 15 inches of snow here in new york. 10 inches in washington. 11 in boston. so far. that is where we find cbs news correspondent whit johnson who begins our coverage from beantown on this morning. good morning! >> reporter: erica, good morning. the snow is finally starting to taper off here in boston. a city that hadn't finished digging out from the last major snowstorm. the east coast has been hit with six of these storms in six weeks, and still plenty of winter ahead. unable to catch its breath, the northeast hopes to survive the latest winter storm and digging out from more than 4 feet of snow in 30 days is breaking the backs of new englanders. >> i think we had enough. should have stayed there. >> reporter: it's breaking the banks, too. two-thirds of boston's snow removal budget has already been spent and it's not even february. the story is even worse further

south. budgets have hit red inc. in georgia, north carolina and new york. >> i strongly urge you to use extreme caution and to refrain from driving. >> reporter: at the height of the storm, more than 500,000 people were without power. many of those were in washington where even president obama's air force one landed in a wintry mess. his chopper was grounded due to the weather. his motorcade took an hour to complete what should have been a 20-minute trip. on long island, treacherous roads led to tragedies. a snowplow attempting to clear a parking lot hit and killed a 64-year-old woman. much of the northeast has already seen more than its annual average snowfall. in boston, where they usually get 22.4 inches per year, more than 50 inches have fallen already this winter. and new york which usually sees 41.6 inches is now topping 52. as expected, the weather is having a huge impact on air travel as well. in new york, jfk is shut down.

newark international airport also closed. philadelphia and boston, the airports are technically open but many canceled and delayed flights. check ahead before you hit the road. whit johnson, cbs news, boston. washington, d.c. always has a tough time when it snows. this storm is no exception. up to 10 inches of snow in the nation's capital along with ice and sleet. as we just heard, even president obama got hung up in the storm. cbs news correspondent nancy cordes in the nation's capital with more. no one is safe in this respect, are they, nancy? >> they are not. this community was not fun for anyone with snow coming down at 2 inches an hour for a while yesterday evening. people were abandoning their cars on the side of the road. 30-minute commutes were taking three hours, especially for folks heading from d.c. over the bridges into californvirginia. runways closed at dulles national airport. 3,000 people lost power and

government workers sent home early. this morning the roads are looking pretty clear but the snow has frozen on the sidewalks and part of the reason that d.c. public schools are closed today. this is already been a bitterly cold winter in washington, d.c. standards and this storm was just another one. >> nancy cordes in washington, thanks. it may not be the last of the storms for washington and the rest of the one. marysol castro joins us to explain what is happening this winter. because it's not just that it seems sort of out of control and out of the norm, it really is. >> it's very tough to predict, but not so tough to understand if you can bear with me. there are two weather patterns that play. one is called la nina. the water temperature in the pacific ocean dips. normally, that would translate into warmer, drier air for much of the united states. which is fine. except over on the atlantic ocean, we have a completely separate weather phenomenon known as the north atlantic oscillation and that means the

sea surface temperature between the eastern united states and northern europe plummet so it's colder as well and translates into precipitation that would normally be rain into snow. we have both oceans dipping in their water temperature and so, essentially, that means this part of the country is seeing a lot of snow and also why we have seen flooding in australia and brazil and portions of southeast s asia. we know what it is but don't know when it will end. >> unfortunately, we cannot control it. >> unfortunately, we can't. >> but at least we know what it is. marysol castro will have a closer look at the forecast for the rest of the country coming up later. chris, over to you. the latest on the amazing recovery of congresswoman gabrielle giffords starting rehab three weeks after shot in the brain. the man who is accused of shooting her looked up information about assassinations before the tucson attack. don teague is with us for the

latest in houston. >> reporter: doctors called her recovery remarkable and gave the go ahead on wednesday for her move to rehab. her husband gave a big thumb's up as the ambulance carrying gabrielle giffords made the short drive from memorial hermann hospital to a rehabilitation famt facility. the move under extremely tight security came hours after doctors upgraded giffords' condition. >> in terms of recovery for brain issues, this is really at lightning speed. >> she has done remarkably well. >> reporter: giffords had been kept in the hospital's intensive care unit because of excess fluid draining from her brain. that situation is now under control. and giffords is already doing physical therapy in the rehab center. >> i think that almost every function that we think about, we have seen, you know, her make progress on it. so i don't think there is any one thing that i would say at this point that she can't do. >> reporter: mark kelly posted this tweet last night saying gabrielle moved over to tirr memorial hermann today and doing

great. her medical team says giffords has good vision and is able to sit, stand, and communicate with others. but a breathing tube in her throat prevent her from speaking, though that may soon change. when doctors install a special speaking valve. she still suffers weakness on her right side but doctors no longer call it pa regard lirl s. an official with knowledge in the investigation confirms to cbs news that jared loughner who pleaded not guilty monday to the attempted assassination of giffords researched lethal injection and solitary confinement and political assassination on the internet in the weeks leading to the attack. back here in houston. gabrielle giffords is said to be resting well and she needs that rest. her doctors say she is already doing several hours of physical therapy every day. don teague, cbs news, houston. also in houston, dr. gerard

francisco, chief medical surgeon at tirr hermann hospital. doctor, good morning. >> good morning. >> since the shooting three weeks ago we heard the progress is labeled lightning speed. what is the most i guess impressive improvements you've seen with the doctor over the last three weeks that you have now been brought into the mix? >> well, i've seen improvement in practically all aspects. improvement in her movement. improvement in her ability to participate in our therapy program. >> you plan on putting a speaking valve into her breathing tube. can i ask when you plan on doing that? >> we do not know when that is going to happen. that will be dictated by her further recovery. the other members of my team are closely monitoring her overall condition and whether it's ready and safe for us to proceed with that part of her rehabilitation, we will do so. >> can i ask what you feel is the likelihood she will actually be able to speak when that valve is implemented? >> right now, it's -- we're still assessing her overall

conditions. i really cannot assign a time line for that. >> how has she been able to communicate? >> right now, she is able to communicate in therapy, able to engage her in the therapy program. she is able to follow the instructions that the therapists provide her. and she has been participating quite well. >> i know you've seen a number of patients in your career that have had significant brain injuries. again, we hear the words miraculous, remarkable in charting the congresswoman's progress. would you agree with those assessments? >> i would because in almost the 20 years i've been in brain injury rehabilitation, i have seen miracles in terms of recovery of my patients. they can be small miracles or big miracles and what i look forward to and engages me in this field because many of my patients have surprised me in terms of their recovery and they themselves are surprised how much they recovery even many years after the injury. >> the congresswoman has been

surprising a number of people so far with her progress the last few weeks. you got started with the rehabilitation as soon as the congresswoman arrived at the rehabilitation center at tirr. can i ask what are some of the things you were able to do immediately when you first saw her? well, the first thing that we did is to make sure she is able to tolerate the physical activities we had planned for her. the physical therapists who have also seen her over at the other hospital before transferring to our rehab center started a program that is the sign to help her practice how to move once again. of course, this therapy will be upgraded in the next few days as she tolerates more and more physical activities. in addition to physical therapy, the occupational therapists have already started their program and the brain injury rehab program, occupational therapists are the ones assigned to teach our patients how to perform things what we call activities of daily living, things such as brushing her teeth and dressing

up, cooking, washing clothes, that kind of stuff. and speech pathologists are also involved in the program and speech and language pathologists are the ones who are in charge of challenging our patients to be able to communicate effectively once again. they are the ones who identify the best means of communication and they are also the ones in charge of looking at the swallowing program. >> doctor, thank you very much for spelling it all out for us. we wish you and your team the best of luck. looks like you have a lot of wonderful people working on the congresswoman there. >> i work with tloof talented people in our hospital. thank you very much. >> thank you. dr. gerard francisco in houston, texas. the dow jones industrials twop topped 12 thousand for the first time in nearly three years yesterday. we know wall street is excited about this even though briefly

crossing over the 12,000 mark. what does it translate to the average american at home especially when it comes to job? >> it's a psychologically significant milestone to be above 12,000 on the dow or to have passed that level because it's a two and a half year high. the average person is that jobs haven't come back to where they were back in june of 2008. and the housing market hasn't come back even though we have seen the minor improvements along the way. the federal reserve came out with a report yesterday and said without their help, without their input in the markets, we're not going to see progression towards the job stability that everyone here is after. >> a good sign but more work to do? >> a lot more work to do. >> an interesting report that came out a panel found talking about the financial crisis has interesting findings. >> the most interesting among them is the financial meltdown was avoidable. this was a panel chaired by democrats looking into the causes behind the financial crisis, the meltdown that we have all been privy to in this country. and they found that excessive

risk-taking, a lack of regulation was the biggest blame behind the crisis and the people that they assigned the major blame with were the federal reserve chairman alan greenspan who was in the office before, and the current federal reserve chairman ben bernanke. >> that will sit well with a lot of people this morning as well. >> not so much. >> rebecca, thanks. >> can the markets stay above 12 thousand is the big question, the psychological benchmark. >> we will see. the other big question can we get something that will translate into jobs as we look for more on that. >> people at home are waiting for that. more news now with jeff glor. hi, jeff. >> good morning to everyone at home. egypt violent clashes between anti-government protesters and police in their third day. protesters play cat and mouse overnight with thousands of ot police in cairo and recent events in tunisia and demanding the ouster of mubarak in power since 1981.

another arab country pushed the regime change this morning. yemen tens of thousands of protesters turned out in the capital demanding their leader's ouster and calling for more demonstration tomorrow. drug smuggers in mexico using old-fashioned methods to get marijuana into the u.s. by catapult. this was captured this night camera video to launch drugs into arizona last friday. the agents alerted mexican police who seized the catapult and the marijuana. the drug smugglers did escape. >> jimmy buffett is out of the hospital after falling during a concert. scary there. buffett fell from the front of the stage and injured his head and briefly unconscious. he is 64 years old, doctors say he is okay. the mystery of a piano stranded on a sand bar in

biscayne bay, florida, has been involved. area teenager says he placed it there using his family's boat. not before it was set on fire during a raucous new year's eve party near his family's home and next day taken to the sand bar and sent ablis that is where it was. photographer noticed it and took pictures much it and that story went viral. a man who turned down $12 million. baseball pitcher gil meche says his self-respect is more important than the money. meche guaranteed $12 million from the kansas city royals this year whether injured or not but he retired leaving all of that money on the table, $12 million. meche said, quote, once i starred to realize i wasn't earning my money, i felt bad. i was making a crazy amount of money for not even pitching. honestly i didn't even feel like i deserved it. 16 minutes past the hour. we turn it back to marysol castro. gil meche, pretty amazing. >> good morning, everyone, at home. take a look at the national

sorry. i just lost my mike. that is it for the weather. >> those pesky cables keep sneaking out. thanks. a michigan mother of two mysteriously disappears from her home and we will speak to her husband about the desperate search for his wife. amazing new deals on some of the hottest gadgets of 2011. this is "the early show" on cbs. [ male announcer ] little oliver had a fog horn nose.

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coming up a mother of two vanishes without a trace. on monday police say there were no signs of a struggle at amy henslee's home, no evidence of forced entry. so what did happen? >> we'll talk exclusively with her husband and a good friend about what they think may have happened. this is the "early" show here on cbs. >> this portion of "the early show" sponsored by chili's. go bold instead of the same old

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a baby girl was killed in her family's driveway in oakland last night. the child who was about one year old was hit it i 7:25. time elizabeth wenger. a baby girl was hit by a truck backing up at the home on 78th avenue. the one-year-old was killed. it's considered an accident. muslims may proceed with a plan to build a mosque in milpitas. the city's planning commission was unanimous in the decision to allow it. opponents expressed concerns about parking and traffic and the possibility of antimuslim activity. the mosque will be on the site of a former warehouse. gas prices keep on climbing. gas buddy.com says we may expect to pay about $4 a gallon by may. it says one reason for the increase is maintenance work in some refineries in the bay

area. the good news, prices could start backing down in june or july. traffic and weather around the bay area in just a moment. stay with us. ,,,,,,,,,,,,

good morning. business as usual at the bay bridge toll plaza, metering lights are on and backed up from grand to the toll plaza. slow across the upper deck into

san francisco. reports of a new accident, northbound 101 some busy conditions right around the central freeway. slow and go on the northbound side. also, as you head through san jose, we have reports of a closure north 13th closed between jackson and taylor for fire crews. here's robert with your forecast. >> gianna, thanks so much. second day in a row of fog advisories. also could be a second day for record-breaking temperatures. live look at ocean beach. some hazy conditions out there but the coast is expecting mostly sunny skies. and an amazing warmup today. just how warm? well, take a look at this. 72 degrees is the expected high under mostly sunny skies. the warm temperatures hold on through friday. but hold on! saturday and sunday, the clouds come so that by sunday, there is a 30% chance of showers. it all clears out monday. temperatures rebound back into the mid-60s. ,,,,,,,,

it's beautiful. >> it is. >> it really is. >> yeah, i got to tell you when i woke up this morning, it was gorgeous outside. a foot of snow. but it was still gorgeous. >> a foot of snow. you're looking at live pictures of central park there. hey, if you're just spending your day in the park it's great. of course for a lot of folks, most of you at home this morning, it is all about digging out, finding your car, finding your sidewalk. stay inside a little bit longer with us. >> we're a perfect six for six. six weeks, six different storms on the northeast. we cannot wait to see what week seven brings. as we welcome you back to "the early show" on this thursday morning, i'm chris wragge along with erica hill. you may be paying more these days for food, gas, maybe even clothing. you know what's getting cheaper?

tech styles. we're going to show you how to find great deals on all these products like an iphone. can you believe an iphone for $49? >> no. >> we'll find one for you. >> i'll be paying attention to that. first on a much more serious note we do want to get you the very latest on a desperate search in southwestern michigan for the mother of two young boys. amy sue henslee was last seen monday morning and before we speak exclusively with her husband and her close friend, cbs news correspondent betly winn has more on this story. >> reporter: at a vigil wednesday night, family and friends prayed for the safe return of 30-year-old amy henslee. the massive search for the missing mother of two young boys continues as the mystery behind her disappearance deepens. >> we put hundreds and hundreds of flyers. >> reporter: she vanished from her michigan home monday without a trace. her husband james says he last saw his wife of 12 years before leaving for work that morning.

>> had me coffee ready for work, kissed her good-bye and she waved good-bye out the window. and that's the last time i seen her. >> reporter: henslee put the two young boys on the bus to school but failed to answer his repeated calls later in the day. concern for her safety, he immediately rushed home to find the door locked, and an empty house. >> she didn't take any credit cards, i.d.s or anything that we've been able to discover. >> reporter: a facebook page dedicated to henslee has been flooded with messages of hope for the woman who friends describe as a devoted wife and mother. >> she would not miss anything for her children. >> reporter: authorities have received numerous calls of reported sightings in the missing persons investigation bit appear no closer to finding amy henslee. betty nguyen, cbs news, new york. and joining us exclusively from hartford, michigan, this morning are amy's husband james henslee and her friend wendy boyd. good morning to both of you. james, how are you and the boys holding up this morning? >> just as best as you could in this kind of situation.

we're still hanging in there. praying. >> when did you first know something was wrong? >> at about 10:00 at work when i called home, it's a thing we do every day for as long as we've been married, and when she didn't answer, then after 30 minutes i knew something was out of the ordinary. >> and at that point what were you able to do? because did you leave work early to come home and check? >> yes. right away. >> and when you got home, and you see that your wife is not in the house, i'm sure like anyone, thoughts go through your mind, you start running around looking for her. was there anything you noticed in the house that seemed out of the ordinary? >> nothing. just that her shoes and her tote was gone. and her purse was still here. >> did she ever go for walks in the neighborhood? did any of your neighbors mention seeing her on monday?

>> no. >> and how do you feel at this point, three days on, it's got to be tough for you and for the boys every morning and every night, are you getting the help that you feel you need? >> i like to think so. i like to see more. >> you've even offered to take a polygraph test. you're doing that later this morning i understand? >> yes, ma'am. >> what made you want to do that? >> anything to rule me out and to get the person or find out whatever happened to my wife and the mother of my kids. because we need to bring her home. >> wendy, you and amy are very close. talk to us a little bit about what this was like for you when you learned. is there anything that sprang to mind, anywhere you think she could have gone or may be? >> good morning, erica. before i go there, there is something i'd like to say, and i

need everyone to know. first i want to talk to amy. amy, if you are anywhere that can see a television, we will not stop searching for you. we are dedicating our time and efforts only to find you, amy. call us. call me. call the authorities. and to whoever may have you, amy, please, let her come home. she has two boys and a husband that love her very much. there's nothing more that i want to give my amy -- i want her back with her boys. her son's birthday is monday. i need her home. i know she wants to be there for her boys. right now, we are just focusing all our efforts, our community has come together. we're still asking, please, please keep up all your efforts. if anyone knows anything on the

whereabouts of our amy, please call the numbers that have been assigned and just let them know. right now we're just asking that everyone please just help us out. >> amy i know you said in the piece we saw that -- or wendy, i'm sorry, that amy would never miss anything to do with her sons. is there anything that raised a red flag to you in the days leading up to her disappearance? >> no. i was with amy, james, the boys, and her parents on saturday. at our boys' basketball games. the same loving family that i've known for years. she always gives me a humongous kiss and a hug.

up next an iphone for just $49? we're going to show you how to get the hottest high-tech gadgets at an amazing price. this is "the early show" here on cbs.

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"early" show technology expert katie linendoll is here to tell us how to save the most money. so why are these products dropping? >> yes, electronics and gadgets are always being upgraded. so if you don't have to have the latest bells and whistles which most people can really do without, wait it out six to twelve months and you can probably get a pretty good deal. >> you're asking people to be patient and you are the queen of techies. notoriously techies are not patient people. they want the new products, they want it right now. >> no, it's true. but i think in terms of finding steals and sales we always look to cyber monday and black friday, which is around thanksgiving, and tech holidays for the latest sales, but also know your other dates. i always tell people back to school is an awesome time in september to get a laptop. april is that notable month for buying a tv. so know when and where to shop. >> okay. we were talking about an iphone, potentially getting an iphone for $49. >> and you can. you can get the latest model right now at at&t, the 3g version for $49. remember the iphone 4 is coming

to verizon next month. the carrier wars are already starting to heat up already. what a lot of people don't realize is apple is on a 12-month product cycle, apple 4 $199 at at&t and soon to be verizon. but in late june, early july, iphone 5 is probably coming out. if you can wait it out, expect it to be about $149 or subsidized for free. >> i think i speak on behalf of everyone, this is the problem i have. as soon as you buy something, something better comes out. >> it is the problem. >> let's talk about televisions, though, because i know these are the quote unquote big ticket items that people see and think, oh, that must cost a fortune. >> my big thing with tvs is never buy a tv as soon as it hits the market. you need to wait at least 6 to 12 months. 42 inch tv came out at $370 this year which means that in 2011 we can almost expect them to be down to $299 which is an insane price. and that will knock something like this 32 right off the marketplace. is it going to be an amazing samsung or panasonic top of the

line? probably not. but we know the features like 3-d tvs and internet connected tvs are all the rage so you can get something which is pretty sufficient for any kind of user at a good price. >> sometimes you really need to be an expert to be able to tell the difference between. >> and go in store and look at all the tvs. you actually have to see the picture quality. do not try to shop online for a tv. >> blu-rays. >> talk about tvs, blu-ray. a lot of people think of this as a luxury. these actually came down in price. they were about $149 on average in 2009. you could actually pick these up last year for about 350 bucks which is insane. and the reason for that is, it's cheaper now to manufacture, but also there's just a number of different options. competition will always drive down the cost. and a lot of people are like oh, my gosh, blu-ray, can i play my old dvds? yes, a blu-ray player will always play the standard dvd. expect it to come down to at least $40 this year. look for the deals on cyber hon day and black friday. >> finally the wii. all the kids love these. >> and adults.

this is like two hours of my life every single day. the wii is now $200. when it first came out it was about $250. but nintendo, which has quickly been upstaged by the kinect for xbox is coming out with a new portable 3-d console in march. expect this to come down to almost $100 or $149. >> just wait it out. >> wait it out, exactly. >> katie, thank you. up next the big storm leaves thousands waiting at the airport, including susan koeppen. we're going to find out if she ever made it out through the snow. this is "the early show" here on cbs. when you've been together as long as we have -- [ carl ] honey, where's the -- top shelf! life can get a bit... routine. that's why i decided to switch things up with cottonelle ultra toilet paper. [ carl ] oh yeeaaah! you see? it's 35% thicker than the northern brand. [ carl ] love it! you might say this one little switch has made all the difference. peanut, get dressed... we're goin' dancing. [ laughs ] [ female announcer ] little switches can make all the difference. with a 35% thicker sheet than the northern brand,

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this morning, air travel up and down the east coast is a huge mess. which is actually putting it mildly. all that thanks to the latest winter storm. new york city's three major airports alone had more than 1,000 flights cancelled yesterday. and the storm put "early" show consumer correspondent susan koeppen to the test. take a look. >> at 9:00 a.m. i left midtown

manhattan, heading for laguardia airport. but thanks to traffic, and blinding snow, my normal 20-minute car ride took two hours. yay, we're here. by 11:00 a.m. as i made may way to gate 2, the planes were being canceled by the hundreds. crews were working feverishly and lines were building. with my flight to pittsburgh going nowhere fast, i waited. and waited. and waited. and waited. i don't even have a book. and then i met fellow pittsburgh passenger joe. are you feeling confident? >> i feel confident. >> reporter: but would our plane ever arrive? if you're delayed where is your plane coming from? my plane is coming from buffalo. bad weather in buffalo. so you know it's going to be a problem. >> reporter: but joe and i had something working in our favor. we both travel light. carry-ons only. we can get on any flight we want today, if something's leaving, we can get on it if there's room. >> boom, we're on it. >> reporter: boom, we're on. and then the news. our flight was en route.

>> finally. >> reporter: high fives. by 3:00 p.m. we were boarding. at 5:00, touchdown. eight hours later, i was finally in pittsburgh. and susan koeppen is in pittsburgh this morning. she's skyping in for us. oh, you're outside. >> i'm outside in snowy pittsburgh. >> so what is the lesson that you learned, susan koeppen, on this effort to get home yesterday, which took hours upon hours? >> the keys to our success, one, getting to the airport early. two, we had a break in the weather. and as i always say to my friends and family, you catch more flies with honey. so big smiles on your face yesterday talking to the gate agent. hey, how you doing? it's an awful day. help me out. so, big smiles if you're trapped somewhere. >> and lucky for all of thus it's not an act for susan koeppen, she really is all that nice. susan, glad you made it home. sure your husband and kids are,

too. we'll see you back here in new york soon. good luck to everyone traveling this morning. can getting enough vegetables make you feel good? oh, yeah. v8 juice gives you 3 of your 5 daily servings of vegetables. v8. what's your number?

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state senator leland yee is asking for threats against him it is 7:55. time for news headlines from cbs 5. i'm sydnie kohara. state senator leeland yee is asking for threats against him to stop. the most recent threat came in a fax with racist language yesterday. yee is also repeating his call for an apology from radio host rush limbaugh, who mimicked the president of china speaking in chinese. and a sacramento man accused of killing a woman in san francisco will be arraigned today. almon johnson facing charges of murder and arson. the victim's body found in a burning car in the lower haight neighborhood monday morning. more discussion today on doing away with tolltakers at the golden gate bridge. the bridge district's finance committee is considering collecting all tolls electronically starting at the end of next year. drivers without fastrak would be tracked through their

license numbers and get a monthly bill. traffic and weather coming right up. stay with us. ,,,,,,,,,,,,

stop and go on 85 northbound at 101 an accident, left lane blocked traffic on 101 also busy northbound out of the south bay into palo alto. if are you in san jose, fire crews are working on the fire at north 13th street. it's closed right now between

jackson and taylor. over to 880/237, bogged down the at the connector, an accident has been cleared. checking the bay bridge toll plaza, still backed up 34 minutes eastshore freeway approach from the carquinez bridge to the maze. let's check your forecast with robert. >> thank you, gianna. most of us are starting with mostly sunny skies. as we take a live look outside, hazy out there in san jose. we saw this yesterday. we're also still under a fog advisory particularly the east bay valleys in effect through noon. otherwise, a warmup much like yesterday. temperatures expected today 72 in our warmest of areas and the warmup continues, cloudy on the weekend and sunday a 30% chance of showers. we'll keep our eyes on that for the start of the new workweek. the sun returns and so do the temperatures. we rebound well back into the mid-60s. get out and enjoy.

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hard at work there in boston. welcome back to "the early show." top of the hour here. they are busy clearing the streets, not just in boston, but in a number of other places, up and down the eastern seaboard, places big and small, got a lot of work to do this morning. a lot of digging out. >> if you own a plow you are making a fortune on the east coast this winter. >> yeah. so much worth you can't keep up with it all. >> going to be a nice summer. >> welcome back to "the early show." i'm erika hill with chris wragge. a lot of good stuff coming up in this hour including a visit from betty white. >> love her. >> she's been entertaining us for over seven decades, won seven emmys and she is not stopping any time soon.

in the past year, year and a half, her career and her life really have gotten a little crazy, done everything from "saturday night live," new hit sitcom which is "hot in cleveland," she's going to talk about that new season and also she's in a new tv movie "lost valentine," a completely different role for betty white and it's really a movie that is sappy in the best sense of the word. it tugs at your heart. >> you cannot help but smile when you're in the presence of betsy white. >> she's wonderful. >> just darling. coming up, this is a fact of life, believe it or not, couples fight. did you know that? >> stop. >> a new study claims the average argues more than 300 times a year, once a day, more than 300. most often the fights occur on thursday nights at 8:00 p.m. the science has narrowed it down, thursday at 8:00 p.m. this is a great thursday morning story. prepare yourselves. the trigger is something little whether leaving the toilet seat up or potentially leaving wet towels on the bed. there's some other triggers that occur outside of what happens in

the bathroom. it is menty of the things we'll talk about with dr. jennifer hartstein about why couples argue and why so much. thursday at 8:00, anything to do with television viewing? >> that remote may be the cause of consternation as well. >> before we get to that, we want to get you a check of the news. jeff glor standing by at the news desk. good morning. >> can't believe you're tossing over here. i'm not doing the news. >> this is what he does every thursday at 8:00 a.m. >> not doing it. >> good morning, guys. >> yes, it is 8:00 a.m. right now. good morning. yet another snowstorm has buried the east coast this morning. snowstorm number six for the northeast this year, number five for the mid-atlantic. many places got more than a foot of snow. the president got caught in the mess. his motorcade to the white house was stuck in traffic more than an hour. usually a 20 hint drive and ten minute helicopter flight when the weather is clear enough. more on the storm from correspondent elaine quijano at new york's laguardia airport. good morning.

>> good morning to you, jeff. well, jfk and newark international airports were shut down overnight because of the snow. both are reopening this morning, but for thousands of people flying in and out of this region, the travel hassles are just beginning. >> reporter: on airport flight boards throughout the northeast it's hard to find any good news. even before the worst of the snow hit delays and cancellations cascaded into an avalanche of travel headaches, stranding passengers like karina canciller. >> i don't really know the area well, so i don't want to go out and find a hotel and all that stuff. >> reporter: the storm's disruptions had ripple effects across the region. by this morning, airports across the country saw more than 1800 flights canceled. in washington, at the height of the snowfall, airports were forced to shut down their runways. still, passenger kevin kline was hoping a lull in the storm would be his ticket back to chicago. >> if we can get off the ground

in time, then i should get home. otherwise, it's looking for a hotel. >> reporter: at laguardia airport, the hardest hit of new york's three, crews worked through the storm, plowing and removing snow from runways and taxiways. now here at laguardia, the airport is open. in fact, just a few minutes ago, we saw an airplane coming in so that certainly is some good news. the airlines are warning as people dig out, it's going to take them some time to dig out of the backlog of canceled flights. >> good point. elaine quijano at laguardia, thank you. the economy may be recovering overall but a new report out this morning finds that home foreclosures are still on the rise. in 2010 the foreclosure rate was up in 149 of 206 u.s. metropolitan areas with a worst increases in houston, seattle and atlanta. realty trac predicts this year home repossessions nationwide will rise another 20% or more. more violence in mexico, an american missionary has been

killed there. her husband says that nancy davis was shot in the head by a gunman in a pick-up truck yesterday while they were driving south of reynosa, mexico. he drove his truck back across the border into the u.s. to get help, but his wife died in texas. women with breast implants may face an increase in their risk of a very rare immune system cancer. the food and drug administration has learned of 60 cases of the disease. that's out of an estimated 5 to 10 million women with breast implants. the fda is working with plastic surgeons to register patients with that cancer and track them over time. it is five minutes past the hour. head back outside to marysol castro, 15 inches of snow in central park. how about that. >> it's unbelievable, jeff. the good news is that the snow has finally stopped. the winds here in new york are light and variable, 31 degrees.

this weather report

sponsored by ashley furniture. the number one name in furniture. thanks so much. that's your latest weather. now over to chris. >> marysol, thank you very much. coming up next on "the early show" -- toilet lids and toothpaste two of the many reasons why couples fight. we're going to help you resolve those conflicts before they get way out of hand. this is "the early show" on cbs. today is international holocaust remembrance day. honor the victims and learn more at the u.s. holocaust memorial museum website. cbs cares. website. [ giggles ] hey, max. [ announcer ] you can help significantly extend your dog's healthy years. a groundbreaking 14-year study by purina... proves that puppy chow, then dog chow nutrition,

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that grow your business. [ beep ] [ beep ] [ beep ] [ beep ] [ male announcer ] find an italian masterpiece in your grocer's freezer. shrimp and lobster ravioli with garlic butter sauce, from buitoni. simple ingredients, artfully prepared. buitoni. create an italian masterpiece. discover more buitoni masterpieces in the freezer section. in this morning's healthwatch, why couples fight. according to a study the average couple argues 312 times a year and researchers say it's usually the little things that cause conflict. something many couples spoke with agreed upon wholeheartedly. >> one thing that we argue

about. >> he does ask me a lot, do i get on your nerves? and then i say no, you know, honey, you don't get on my nerves. >> but i know that i do. >> it's the number one thing on my list, forgive me for saying it, but will not put the cap back on the toothpaste for anything. >> he stays home and he moves the furniture, rearranges the kitchen, and then i can't find anything. >> she moves stuff on me. i put it down so i know where it is and then when i go back to get it it's not there. >> the first thing is when he gets out of the shower he never hangs his towel up. >> not hanging the towel back up, putting it on my side of the sink. >> i used to tell him, but now i just hang it up for him. >> i hate to use my sink. >> tired of repeating myself. >> he likes to finish my sentences for me sometimes. >> that's a good one. >> i interrupt too. >> you always complain about that.

>> nothing a little therapy can't cure. i have to admit, dr. jennifer hartstein to talk about this, i have to admit 312 fights during the course of a year, that number threw me. >> about an average a day, one a day on average for most people. they're talking about all these little annoyances that really, i think, lead to a lot of a bigger picture issues in that we have to think about what are those little things r they the tip of the iceberg or something more. >> is that ago abouter issue, the fact that we let the little annoy onces get to us and it leads to a bigger argument. >> absolutely. we let them build up and build up and build up and one of the things i think that starts the problem is women go like that woman said in the piece, goes behind and does it for him. we're actually training our significant others not to do it because we end up jumping in and doing it. >> let's talk about some of the top issues, though, that couples do argue about. >> we do see that there's these annoyances not putting the toothpaste cap on but there are

bigger ticket items, money, sex, parenting, extended family, those are the things that at the end of the day are the things that the arguments are about, and that can lead to problems in the relationship. >> we talk about triggers too. it could be something as much as would you please put that mug on a coaster and then that what you're really trying to say, why aren't you paying the bills or something along those lines. >> the tip of the iceberg, the thing that we're focusing on, the minor thing that then might really open the door to a bigger discussion, but we don't know how to bet get to the bigger discussion so we focus on the stuff that doesn't matter in the scheme of snigs do men and women fight differently? >> they do. men are problem solvers, they want to jump in, solve the problem, make it happen. women want someone to recognize that they feel about something and recognize their emotions and then get to the problem solving, which often leaves to the conflict, you're not hearing me, not paying attention to what my needs are, the bigger argument and fights happen. >> the one gentleman finishing the sentences of his wife. you have to sit back and listen.

>> you do. >> the volume, 312 over 365 day period seems like a lot, but the study does say fighting is not the worst thing in the world for couples. >> it is not. there's a lot of research that says fighting is a good thing. i connects you, really gets the issues on the it table, hopefully will allow you to communicate more effectively, be more intimate and build a stronger relationship. >> you have tips on how to resolve issues for couples. >> right. first thing you want to do is clarify the argument. we mentioned sometimes it's just the tip. really figure out what it is you're arguing about. that's the important part. then you want to figure out how to take ownership. what am i bringing to this argument, why do i care if the towel is on the floor. if i'm having that, let me figure that out. validate the feelings of the other person. you have to listen to what they're saying and not finish their sentences and recognize, i see you're upset about this and then go, what can we do about it. lastly fight fair, don't fight below the belt. recognize what the issues are,

be respectful of one another. >> thursday nights at 8:00 p.m., is that an end of the week thing, things have built up and seems like a good time. >> paychecks, end of week all that stuff might be the reason. >> dr. hartstein, good to talk to you. >> always great to be here. >> i'm not going to finish your sentence. >> thanks. coming up next, the one and only golden girl herself, betty white, here to talk about her amazing year and this is "the early show" here on cbs. hey, bet itty. >> cbs healthwatch sponsored by slim fast, slim fast, who has time to slim slowly. who has time to slim slowly. yeah, baby! try the slim-fast 3-2-1 plan. 3 snacks, 2 shakes or meal bars, and 1 balanced meal. slim fast. who has time to slim slowly? let's tear it up. and take it on. let's get a lot of style... for a lot less. get everything we need -- and everything we need to know then get to work making more rooms work for us.

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to help get your whole wash clean. seven-time emmy winner betty white just turned 89 and she is busier than ever. not only is she starring in the second season of the tvland sitcom "hot in cleveland," but soon we'll also see her in a very different type of project, the cbs hallmark hall of fame tv movie "the lost valentine." betty white, always a pleasure to have you with us.

good morning. >> well, good morning. nice to be here, thank you. >> it's been a bit of a whirlwind the last couple of years. >> it's wonderful. at 89 you don't expect to be working this much. but i enjoy it. >> yeah, you're nonstop. not only the tv movie and the series but there was the snikers commercials, there was "saturday night live." the emmy. i read at one point you were getting a little concerned about overexposure. >> oh, a lot concerned about overexposure. it's like oh, my god, there's betty white again. >> you really think people do that? i think they say, give me more. >> no. i just picture them doing that. they must be doing that. >> is there a highlight for you in everything that's been thrown your way in the last couple of years? >> you know, it's just -- it's still fun. it's a privilege. and when it can still be fun, and you're working, i'm in the middle of writing another book, so it's -- that's the deadline that keeps doing this. but, it's -- and i've been so lucky with some good projects. and that's fun.

and i'm having a ball with "hot in cleveland" with the girls. >> which is hysterical. >> oh, but they are such fun to work with. valerie bertinelli and wendie malick and jane leeves. >> and it's back for a second season. you originally said, look, i'll do the pilot. but after that all bets were off. >> that was the proviso because my schedule, they just couldn't do it. so they picked us up for ten shows. and they said, would you, you know, a couple more? well, jellyfish here wound up doing all ten. then they picked us up for 20 more. and guess who's doing it? >> you're back for more. a lot of people, including myself, very excited that you're back for more. the movie that's also going to be airing, this hallmark hall of fame movie "the lost valentine" is a really different type of role from what people are used to seeing you do. >> a different role than i've ever done. it's -- it's a beautiful script. i just love it. >> it's a beautiful movie. i said to you before we started, it is wonderfully sappy in this very best possible way.

it tugs at your heartstrings. it's a beautiful love story. >> aren't you dear. thank you. >> it -- >> it will be on this sunday. >> i think we have a quick clip and then i want to ask you about your inspiration for it. >> sometimes i forget where i am for a split second. look around, half expecting to see you, and it's some ugly shadow looking back at me. oh, i lived for these. sometimes i'd go weeks on end without hearing a word. and i get several at once. >> you play in the movie a woman whose love for her husband remains as strong as when she waves good-bye to him at that train station when he was leaving to fight world war ii and he didn't come home. >> and jennifer love hewitt is the leading lady and she's just lovely. just lovely. >> she's charming. she's doing a story on you for

her tv station. and all these wonderful things come out about it. but there's some really, really moving scenes. and we've heard a lot about this beautiful love story that you had of your own with your husband alan. how much of that did you draw on as you were preparing for this role? >> i'm afraid a lot. because, i happen to have been married to a man a loved very, very dearly. still do. and that was my war, you know, so i knew the era quite well. and it brought back a flood of memories. >> it must have been moving, as well. there's a scene and i don't want to give away too much, but there are scenes, as well, with veterans, which is a cause very close to the character's heart. and there were real veterans in the movie, as well. >> they were all real veterans. and the -- the color guard of sailors, those were real sailors. they weren't actors. and that's what got to me.

>> it's a moving story. it's a beautiful movie. and it's so interesting to see you in another role in which we, i think, fall even more in love with you. >> well i'm so used to doing comedy. and smarting off. >> yeah. >> but, this, you can't help but get caught up in it. so oh, i'm so glad you enjoyed it. >> i did. i really did. i'm not just saying it, i promise. >> even if you are -- >> either way you'll take it. we look forward to again, it airs this sunday. we'll also be seeing some more funny betty white. we look forward to lots more from you in the future. thank you so much for coming by. >> thank you. >> again you can see that hall mark hall of fame presentation, "the lost valentine" sunday night, 9:00, 8:00 central right here on cbs. now here's chris. okay, erica, thank you. this is simon. coming up, is it dangerous to share your bed with a dog or cat? dr. debbye turner will be here to answer that question and some other questions about you and your pets. this is the "early" here on cbs.

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of the east bay... a baby girl has died after being hit by a truck in oakland t it's 8:25. time now for some news headlines. tragic news out of the east bay. a baby girl has died after being hit by a truck in oakland. the girl was about one year old. the truck apparently backed over her in the driveway of her home on 78th avenue last night. authorities say it appears to have been an accident. at a meeting tonight, faith leaders and community members will call on san jose mayor chuck reed to rebuild community trust. they are pushing the city to hire a new police chief who will build strong trusting relationships with immigrants and communities of color. muslims in milpitas are getting a new place to worship. the city planning commission has unanimously approved the building permit for a new mosque. it will be built at the site of

a former cement warehouse. construction is expected to take about a year and a half. traffic and weather coming right up. stay with us. ,,,,,,,,

i tore both my rotator cuffs. first i injured this shoulder, then this one, then this one two more times. playing with my kids was not an option. when a lot of doctors could have gone in and just said, "no, can't fix it." but he didn't give up. today i can throw my kids around in the pool. i can still coach rugby and share my love of the game. announcer: at sutter health, our story is you. for more stories, visit sutterhealth.org. lots of company on the eastshore freeway westbound slow beyond highway 4 right now. you're slow all the way to university. once you get to the bay bridge, traffic looking a little better. not too bad. we were backed up to the maze at one point but now at least to 880. north 680 at sycamore an accident cleared over to the

right shoulder. busy in both directions on 680 through danville. and over to the golden gate bridge we go, 19 minutes to go south 101 from 37 to 580. and you can see, slow on the golden gate bridge across the span. here's robert with the weather report. >> mostly sunny skies, a warmup today flirting with some record temperatures particularly in the east bay as we take a live look at the transamerica tower. this is what we expect yet again today. but we are seeing some fog out there particularly in the east bay. the inland areas, the valley. that's in effect through noon. there could be record temperatures inside the bay. warm temperatures hold on for friday. saturday and sunday cloudy, and this is a 30% chance of showers by sunday, rebounding back into the mid-60s for the start of the new workweek. ,,,,,,,,

little snow can't keep those people inside. a beautiful shot, i believe that's central park. >> they've got the sleds out, they're ready to go. it is going to be a big day. schools canceled here in new york city today. >> very rare occurrence here in new york. >> and amazing snowball weather. like it's a thick, heavy snow. it's not snowing anymore, at least here in new york. oh, man.

>> jeff glor is ready. >> beautiful. >> if you're working on the streets of new york today and snowballs are hitting you -- >> didn't get out of here soon enough. welcome back to "the early show." >> before we get to snowball fights, we've got a little business to do. >> we've got some absolute lay adorable dogs and cats that are here with us this morning. they can all be adopted from the humane society. that's garbo and our dr. debbye turner bell. we're going to talk about pet-related questions. for example is a dog's mouth really cleaner than ours. >> that old wive's tale. i'm going with glor on this. >> garbo is energetic. >> to say the least. >> yes, yes energetic that's putting it very nicely, jeff. also ahead this morning, we are going to help you stay out of trouble. >> wow. >> we're happy to help. we are. you know when you forget your wallet, maybe you are going to walk out the door or you're walking into a meeting and all of a sudden you look down you've got that huge stain just seconds before you're meeting with the boss? we're going to help you

gracefully get out of those sticky situations. >> also very cool segment coming up. some of the most innovative new consumer products of the year. they're smart, they're also not expensive. how about a dry shampoo, a toothpaste that foams like shaving cream. one of our favorites here. it's a microwave popcorn with its own bowl. >> yes. >> so, you microwave the popcorn and then you don't have to actually pour it into the bowl and get butter around or anything else. >> means you don't have to wash the bowl, either. it's like the college student's dream. >> good stuff. >> or jeff's. >> saves you money and makes it easy. first marysol has another check of the weather for us this morning. >> good morning, you guys. good morning, everyone at home. it's 31 degrees here in new york city.

>> thanks so much. that's your latest weather. now back inside to chris. >> marysol, thank you. now we've seen a lot of questions about pets in the news recently. for example, is it okay for them to sleep in your bed? and can they make you sick? cbs news correspondent and resident veterinarian dr. debbye turner bell is here with a few friends to answer all those questions and more for us this morning. good morning. >> hey, good morning. >> before we introduce simon. >> an old shut due from the new york humane society of new york, as well as aaron and arden, two little 4-month-old kittens. they need homes for our viewers in the new york area. we'll introduce you to one more dog towards the end of the segment. >> let's talk about the first question. is it safe or is it a good idea to sleep with your pets in your bed? >> this question has come up because of a recent article, "time" magazine wrote based on a study published by a cdc journal, and the short answer to your question, and i'm just going to prevent some trouble, rebecca, let me hand one to you.

the short answer to your question is generally, it is okay. >> yeah. >> there are some calf yets. it's not smart to have an animal in the bed with a young child whose immune system is not fully developed. you shouldn't be sleeping with your pet if you're an elderly person. if you have a decreased or deficient immune system. for instance if you're an organ transplant recipient, or suffering with hiv, those people make -- are more susceptible to infection and disease. and, if the animal is not properly groomed you certainly shouldn't have them in the bed. there was one case cited that was used in the article about a 9-year-old who got the plague from sleeping with his cat. well the problem was the cat was flea infested. fleas carry the plague. so you need to be clean, the animal needs to be clean and i would recommend if you're going to have them in the bed, put them on top of the covers. >> how about the theory that a dog's mouth is cleaner than a human's mouth. >> that is such a myth. again in this article it talks about a woman who got meningitis from her dog licking her. dog's mouths are not cleaner

than hours. if you just think about what they do. they lick their private parts. they like to eat poo, their own and many other animals. they eat garbage, all of that. the reason they don't get sick is because they have a naturally occurring set of bacteria in their own digestive tract that handles all the cootties, if you will, they come in contact. we don't have that. so just beware, i'll tell all the people who love to kiss their dogs on the mouth, beware of what that dog did with the mouth. >> let's taletabout the flu. can you contract the flu from your pet? >> it's flu season right now and generally no, you can't. every species has strains of viruses, influenza viruses that are usually specific to that host. it is possible for a flu virus to mutate or change, and jump to another host. that's why we've had swine flu, and avian flu. there is a canine flu. but right now there is no evidence that shows that those flus that infect our pets are contagious to us. so the answer is no. >> and approaching pets can be

very difficult. martha stewart, there was a story this week, martha stewart, one of her own pets, you sneak up on pets, whether they're your own or a strange pet the wrong way, you can startle them and there can be a little bit of a mishap. >> that is exactly what happened with martha. her dog was falling asleep or dozing and she surprised the dog. the dog reared up and she got that nasty little cut on her lip. it is important not to surprise your animal. especially aging animals, because they just can't hear as well. it's also important to teach your children the correct way to approach an animal. by and large the largest portion of the population that gets bitten by dogs are boys ages 5 to 9. so you can guess why. they're loud, they're boisterous, they're at the dog's eye level and they exhibit inappropriate behavior. so it's important to teach your children proper etiquette around your dog as well as other dogs. >> i guess one takeaway for kids that are watching and they love pets, is it to just kind of gently go up to the dog and not be too excitable around it? >> i would say don't ever leave the child unsupervised.

and teach the child to ask permission to touch the dog. don't just run up to the dog. he needs to ask permission and then needs to go up very slowly and quietly. don't pull tails. don't pull feet. don't pull noses. and then offer the back of the hand. don't go up into a dog's face and go hi! you know what you've just done? you've bared your fangs. in the dog world that's a challenge and it might scare a dog. >> how about homemade meals? >> again this was in "the new york times" just last week about people and the trend of people feeding their pets raw food diets. this is what i'll say. it is possible. and you get around feeding a food that has preservatives and colors and that kind of thing. however dogs and cats have very specific nutritional needs. and unless you have consulted a veterinary nutritionist about all the supplements to add to the food, i really wouldn't recommend it. >> all right. well you have answered a lot of questions for us this morning. can we bring garbo out? >> we've got to bring out garbo

who is a 10-month-old chocolate lab. he's also from the humane society of new york. needs a home. if you're ready to provide a forever home go to our website, there will be more information about these pets and many others. >> garbo is beautiful. as you've seen, simon has been so well-behaved. >> simon is the elder statesman. he needs a home. >> be careful over there, garbo. all right dr. debbye turner bell. now here's erica. >> chris, thanks. how many times have you found yourself in a sticky situation. you're running into an ex at the bad time. you sent an ugly e-mail to the wrong person? here to help you dig out of those executive jams, nicole beland, executive editor of "cosmopolitan" magazine. great to have you back with us. these are all situations we can relate to. we mention the e-mail one. nowadays no matter how careful you are, every now and then you might send an e-mail to the wrong person. >> yeah. >> how do you deal with it? >> i understand how it happens because you're writing an e-mail about someone and you're saying carol this and carol that and you're complaining and you go to

put in the send field and the first name in your mind is carol. and you type it in, and you hit send, but -- so the other day i actually saw friends do this. where he said oh, i bumped into so and so last night she looked great but she's kind of a nut job. >> oh, no. >> and he sent it to the person he was talking about. like he did the right thing in response. he immediately picked up the phone and called her and said, i just sent you an e-mail by accident and you are not going to like what it says. can we please talk about it? and i think the more that you do to apologize, and to show that you really regret it, the more likely they're going to forgive you and move past it. >> that's a much better move than a lot of people at work will get an e-mail and then they immediately get the recall. so and so would like to recall this e-mail and it doesn't work because you've already seen it. >> too late. the damage is done. you have to be personal. make the phone call. or even if you get a friend and family member, ask if you can meet up in person so you can talk about it. hey, you could even use it as a problem solving opportunity. >> i like it. >> hey, i'm kind of glad i got

this off my chest. now maybe we can talk about it. >> now i'll call you a nut job to your face carol. moving on next, a friend borrows money and doesn't pay you back. >> yeah, you know, if it's just ten bucks or 20 bucks and you can find it within yourself to change your thinking and say, you know what, it was a gift. forget it. if you can do that. that's really the best thing to do, because when someone doesn't pay you back it breeds resentment. you feel tension. so if you can do that, do it. otherwise, your friend, every time you see that you might think, man, they haven't paid me back yet. but they may not be thinking that. they may not be thinking about it at all. you need to send them an e-mail and say i was so happy to loan you that money. can you give it back to me by such and such a date when i'm going to need it. then they know if they miss that deadline, they're being a bad friend. you have to let them know when you expect it. >> because they also can't read your mind. what if something happens like just over your shoulder here we have a shirt with deodorant on it. >> happens to me like three times a week. >> that's up? i think it happens to me every day. how do you get that off,

especially if you're out and about and all of a sudden you realize it's there. >> the worst thing you can do is try to get it off by using a tissue or toilet paper is the worst. it turns to confetti. what you want to do is actually find a way to dampen it. so if you have a little bit of water and a dark cloth, you can just rub it gently against it and it will go away. if you have to, you can always wet it with your own saliva. >> use the mommy excuse. >> yep. >> put some on your tongue and just -- >> don't relick the thumb because it will be the worst taste you've ever had in your life. >> that could be the best advice this segment has. up next, someone has insulted or has maybe gossiping about someone you like and you're involved in the conversation. do you stick up for your friend? >> so many of us don't because it's easier to be diplomatic, and not say anything. but, really, if you want to be a good friend, you should say something. and a wonderful way to handle it is to say, oh, no, you know, i think you got the wrong impression about that person. maybe they acted out of character, or maybe it was a bad

situation, because they're really not like that at all. because that way you're helping the person who said something nasty about them to stay safe by saying, you know, maybe they did something nasty, and you know, in a rare moment. >> right. >> but overall they're a really good person. i mean, it's kind of spineless, you know, to just let somebody say something nasty about a friend. so you should defend them. >> when you say that you're helping both parties. the ones doing the gossiping and the person being gossiped about. >> yes, exactly. >> you get double karma for the day. back in the realm of, i've got something on my clothes. you look down and notice you've got a stain, you're on your way to a meeting with the boss. >> i have stain sticks. there's a great tide and shout both have stain sticks. they have magical. i have someone stashed in my purse, in my glove compartment, in my desk. i have spilled the craziest stuff on myself and they have succeeded in get it out. otherwise if you don't have one, you don't have time to stop at a store and get one you have to acknowledge the stain the moment you arrive, otherwise it's all the person will be able to see. so just say, oh, god you know, i

spilled this on myself. it can seem charming. >> a great ice breaker. >> exactly. >> nobody loves perfect people. if you have a flaw -- >> i don't really know any perfect people either. what if you leave the house and all of a sudden you're on your way out, you realize i have to be somewhere. how do you make yourself presentable? >> you have no makeup on. >> yes. >> at the bottom of every woman's bottom of her purse she probably has a lipstick around. as long as you have a lipstick you can freshen up your face. so you use the lipstick, put on a little bit more lipstick than you normally would so that that will draw the eye and really brighten up your face. and you can also take a little bit of lipstick rub it into the apples your cheeks, and if you have a minute to park a little bit further away from the entrance to the building, or take the stairs or elevator, if you exercise for a couple of minutes you'll get great color in your face. >> run a little bit or walk briskly? >> you get this pretty flush.

your skin gles. >> i never thought about that. maybe you'll burn a few calories. i like it. >> 2 1/2. >> nicole, always good to have you with us. for more on avoiding these sticky situations, or getting out of them, logon to our website at earlyshow.cbsnews.com. chris, taking notes? >> yes. copious notes over here. thank you very much, erica. good morning -- i should say new government figures show consumer confidence is at an eight-month high right now and some companies are riding that wave with products that are nor innovative and even a little wacky. barbara lippert is here with some of her favorite new consumer products. >> great to see you, chris. >> 2011 is going to be a big year, and innovation is back in for the first time in awhile. >> 2009 was particularly bad. like nothing introduced because companies were risk averse. the economy was so bad. but this year, there's sort of a pentup demand and companies are going to take risks. and there's a lot of, you know, wacky, fun technowild stuff out there. >> so they had two years to kind of figure out some new trends. >> exactly.

and they were even listening on blogs and on facebook, listening to what people were doing and some of this came out directly from that research. >> consumers actually have some input. >> exactly. and some of these also prove that you can never underestimate the american public's laziness. everything is instant. >> convenience is good. >> technology in the service of laziness and convenience. >> let's talk about orville redenbacher popcorn. i didn't think it could get much better. >> this is really great. you don't have to use a bowl. you don't have to get out a bowl, wash a bowl. it pops up in its own little bowl. it seems like it would be ecofriendly, too, if you could eat the bowl. i wouldn't want anybody to do that. but i think this is a great idea. cute as can be. everything is delicious. and it makes it that much easier. >> the popcorn is fantastic. >> and now with the microwave, you just put popcorn. >> want to make it easy. tater tots? >> that's another thing. sweet potatoes are healthier than regular potatoes. more beta-carotene and vitamin a.

so it takes that trend of people still wanting to be kids, and have their guilty pleasure, but making it a little more healthy. >> i mean as a kid i loved tater tots, especially cool meals. >> now the fancy restaurants have sweet potato fries, so this sort of trickles down into the to thes. >> i kind of like them as an adult now, too. >> pretty good. another extension was frito-lay, this makes a lot of sense. they have new technology that makes the flavors really drishs so you just get out a little autograph caughto, maybe a little lime, you put this in it and it tastes like from scratch and homemade and goes perfectly with your chips. it's a way to extend frito-lay beyond chips. >> kind of like hamburger helper. >> but a little fresher going on with that technology. >> philadelphia cream cheese. >> this came out out of social media. they wanted to bust out beyond the bagel. they were slaves to the bagel. they were finding that people were cooking with it but they needed a sauce to cook with it. so they came out with these

little tubs which makes it easier to use cream cheese instead of sour cream. >> in all different flavors. you've got italian cheese and herb, savory garlic, santa fe blend. >> and it's all so easy in this contain container. >> biscuits. >> well, this is aimed at boomer women who are flexitarrians. they're not like extreme vegetarians but they like to cut down on their meat consumption. they love meat but they're worried about their cholesterol. this is all soy based. it's delicious. you get your bacon flavors and egg and cheese and everything. but it's a little healthier. >> so the trend that we're seeing here, convenience, affordability, a lot of this stuff is very affordable. and also a little bit on the healthier kick. >> exactly. >> which gets me to these cracker chips. >> we're all grown-up kids. if you have kids you're familiar with the goldfish. i actually have my son's plastic goldfish in the shape of a fish that i eat out of. this is a combination of the chip, and a cracker.

and it seems a little more sophisticated. and again, baked and natural so it's healthy. >> and i love goldfish, as well. i still to this day go through them. >> don't have to be embarrassed. >> let's go to some more skin care, beauty products. what do we have here? >> this is sort of the do it yourself trend. in the '90s maybe people got used to fancy spa treatments that were expensive. this is like a $200 kit that only costs $30. and you know, you can roll your skin the way they do -- >> personal facial? >> exactly. and before you really would have had to lay out a lot more money for it. but you can do it by yourself at home. it's sort of a democratization of luxury. >> and this is a little shampoo? >> shampoo. >> dry shampoo. >> that's been around since the '60s. but this is like what the celebrities use so it has the hair tone in it. it doesn't look like you put talcum powder on your head. it thickens the hair.

>> never understood the concept. if you're going to shampoo, you might as well use the water. >> it takes too long. it's like the difference of the oven and the microwave. >> the tooth paste real quick. >> what's more boring than brushing your teeth. it's entertaining, it foams in your mouth. what else cth we think of? >> barbara, thank you very much. we appreciate it. good to talk to you this morning. for more on these innovative products go to our website, earlyshow.cbsnews.com. and we'll be right back. you're watching t"the early sho" here on cbs. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

as we get ready to say good-bye, this is what awaits us outside the plaza studios on 59th and 5th. >> looks like outside a lot of people's windows. >> it looks nice. 15 fresh inches of powder here in new york city and other parts of the northeast getting walloped. what do you think as far as innovation goes. what did you like best?

>> the chips are really yummy. i kind of like the sweet potato tater tots. >> i want them a little,,,,,,,,,

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headlines... a sacramento man is set to be arraigned this morning in san it isle every 89:55. i'm sydnie kohara with your cbs 5 headlines. a sacramento man set to be arraigned this morning in san francisco facing charges for murder and arson. 29 al mob johnson suspected of killing a woman on monday. state leeland yee says the threats against him must stop. the most recent yesterday, this fax that contained racist language also mentioned talk show host rush limbaugh. he wants limbaugh to apologize for imitating the language of klein's president. and the price of gas don't look now it's going up. by this summer it could cost more than $4 -- cost more than $4 a gallon. it's expected to pass $4 in

may. one reason, local refineries are shutting down for maintenance. traffic and weather coming right up. stay with us. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

good morning. let's go out to chopper 5 live over san francisco at the scene of an accident.

traffic is jammed solid through golden gate park right now. the accident you're looking at live is northbound park pre videos after 25th avenue. two-car crash. and as you can see, one of those cars went right into the bushes. it is jammed through golden gate park to about lincoln way. so obviously, avoid the area. all right, thank you, chopper 5. let's go to another crash. this one in sunnyvale westbound 237, right before 101, we have an accident right there, it sounds like fire crews are on scene. kcbs airborne is there and says it's backed up to at least mathilda. that's your traffic. for your forecast, here's robert. >> thanks so much, elizabeth. want a reason to get out on this thursday morning? look at coit tower, blue skies, mostly sunny. it is amazing! temperatures expected to be in the upper 60s in san francisco. we could flirt with record temperatures yet again today. 72 for the warmest of areas. 69 inside the bay. so the warmup continues through friday but clouds return for the weekend, possible rain on sunday.

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