good morning. heart-wrenching. >> and i just want to say i love him so much. >> michael jackson's 11-year-old daughter paris speaks publicly for the first time ever. embraced byjackson's sisters at the end of a star-filled memorial. what's next for the three grieving children. we'll ask one of michael's closest friends in a live interview. ciao. president obama arrives in italy overnight to attend a high-stakes summit, as the entire first family prepares to meet with the pope. will their italian welcome be warmer than the one they received in russia? and deadly hazard, an unexpected danger emerging from the housing crisis. abandoned swimming pools behind all those foreclosed homes. a mother who lost her 5-year-old

daughter speaks out today, a mother who lost her 5-year-old daughter speaks out today, wednesday, july 8th, 2009. captions paid for by nbc-universal television and good morning, everyone. welcome to "today" on a wednesday morning. i'm matt lauer in studio 1a. meredith is out in los angeles, where she attended the memorial service for michael jackson yesterday. and meredith, i know people are talking about the musical tributes and the speeches, but the words of paris jackson, his 12-year-old daughter, really have people talking this morning. >> they sure do, matt. i don't think that anybody that was in the arena thought that she would speak at all, that any of the kids would speak, so when paris stood there and talked about her daddy being the best daddy in the world, it was truly heart-breaking. i don't think there was a dry eye in the entire space. it was the first time the world

has heard from one of jackson's children. all three were in attendance, sitting in the front row for much of the two-hour service, before taking the stage during the tribute's final performance with the rest of the jackson family. we're going to have much more on that in a moment. we'll also hear from some of the performers who took part in the memorial. and matt, also this morning, we are getting our first look at jackson's death certificate. right now it lists the cause of death as deferred as the coroner's office awaits the results of toxicology tests. and it does not say where michael jackson will be buried, matt. >> also, meredith, we're getting reports that tuesday's service may not be the last. apparently the jackson family is considering another memorial. this one held in london. it would be on august 29th. would have been jackson's 51st birthday. also ahead a man who some say was the closest person to michael jackson during the final years of his life. he has been described as jackson's friend, financial adviser, also a mystery man. he sat down with us for his first television interview.

that conversation is coming up. and a little later a story that can feat the safety and security of 95% of the people watching this show this morning. it's the technique that crooks could use to unlock almost any door in your house, meredith. >> but first let's get right to the emotional and poignant tribute to the king of pop. hours after the memorial, as the family returned home to the jackson compound in encino, the fans still kept coming to show support for the family on this day of mourning. >> michael, when you left us, a part of me went with you. >> the day gone with a somber motorcade escorted by police as the jackson family wound its way to forest lawn cemetery for a private cemetery. then on to the staples center for the public memorial. ticket holders waited respectfully for the doors to open, while just a few hundred onlookers lingered outside the perimeter.

inside, a gospel choir raised its voice as michael's golden casket was escorted in, flanked by his brothers, each with a single glove and sunglasses to honor their sibling. >> i loved him all my life. >> reporter: the star-studded salute began with mariah carey singing a classic jackson song, she herself covered in 2002. ♪ where there is love >> reporter: one by one, a roster of stars paid tribute to jackson with poignant versions of his songs. ♪ i never dreamed >> reporter: singer usher broke down as he finished the michael song "gone too soon." 12-year-old shaheen, a finalist on brian's got talent who had been singled out by jackson to

sing in his concert reminded many of a young michael. >> he's had a huge impact on my life, and i think he's had a huge impact on everything and every individual. >> reporter: jennifer hudson melded her powerful voice -- ♪ you were my prayer >> reporter: with jackson's own words. >> for you're always in my heart. >> reporter: among those remembering their friend, laker stars kobe bryant and magic johnson who recalled a very non-king of pop moment. >> michael, wait a minute, you eat kentucky fried chicken? >> that was the greatest moment of my life. >> reporter: brooke shields, fighting tears, gave a glimpse into the private life of these two very public child stars. >> there would be a picture taken the caption usually said something like an odd couple. to us, it was the most natural and easiest of friendships. >> reporter: and then jermaine jackson took the stage to sing a

vintage song his brother helped make possible. ♪ though your heart is aching smile even though it's breaking ♪ >> reporter: and a passionate al sharpton delivered a fiery defense of michael jackson. >> every time he got knocked down he got back up. >> reporter: and addressing michael's three children in the front row, he told them -- >> wasn't nothing strange about your daddy. it was strange what your daddy had to deal with. but he dealt with it. >> reporter: millions watched around the world, from london, to berlin, from moscow to dancing in the streets of harlem. as the two-hour celebration ended with friends and family flooding the stage, came the most heart-wrenching moment from michael's 11-year-old daughter paris.

>> daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine. and i just want to say i love him as much -- >> brian michael skylar was a longtime friend of michael jackson's and attended the memorial. good morning to you. >> good morning. >> that moment that paris stood on the stage and talked about her dad being the best dad ever, since the time she was born, first of all, you know these children. most of the rest of us, in fact, i'd say the majority, never knew them when michael was alive. he kept them hidden, literally. >> he did. >> and veiled. and didn't expect her to talk and then she did. were you surprised that paris talked? >> i was surprised, but, it was very much in character for her. she's a very courageous little girl, and very smart, very --

yeah, it surprised me, but it was very much in character for her. >> you had talked to me in the past about what a great dad michael jackson was, that nobody really knew that side of him. that was the private side. was this sort of that moment of confirmation? >> absolutely. i was very proud of her. because i think it just showed the world, you know, she was brought up, how wonderfully she was brought up. >> what about the kids and what happens next? when i watch them on the stage, there was a very strong connection to the jackson family. they were holding tight to them and it seems very genuine, very real. >> that's why i think the kids need to be with, you know, with katherine. because it's not just katherine. it's the whole jackson family. and there's so many -- so many of them, you know, there. it would be, i think, ridiculous to take the kids anywhere else. >> there may be actually a custody battle, we don't know at this point what's going to happen. moments yesterday that stood out for you. i know there was a moment when

gordy, berry gordy the founder of motown talked about michael jackson said, king of pop isn't enough for him. >> right, right. well, when it was said that he was the greatest entertainer in the world, the standing ovation lasted, it felt like an eternity, and he deserved it. and my heart just welled up at that point. he really was and still is the greatest entertainer in the world. >> and it seems to me that some of the speakers, including reverend al sharpton, they took on the critics yesterday, they used this as a moment to criticize the critics who have gone after michael jackson for more controversial issues in his own life. when al sharpton said to the kids your daddy wasn't strange. what was strange was what he had to deal with. what was your reaction to that? >> i think he was exactly, exactly right. i mean, michael was a victim, you know. and he was just a perfect target. and everybody wanted to pick on him. >> you never felt that any of it was justified? >> i knew michael much differently than i think, you know, the world, and the critics

knew him. he was very normal to me. >> and the last song, "we are the world," that also for you was a very moving moment because it reminded you of something that happened at neverland. >> yes. michael and i used to meet a lot in his library up at neverland, and he had a little glass globe of the world that was about the size of a baseball, and one day he picked it up and he held it in his hand and he smiled and he said he liked holding the world in his hands. and yesterday during the ceremony, i just thought to myself, he had the whole world in his hands yesterday. >> did it bring you peace, the ceremony? >> a little bit. a little bit. but it's still -- still very surreal, and just still going to take some time to let it sink in. >> brian, thank you so much for joining us this morning. greatly appreciate it. >> thank you very much. >> now let's go back to matt. >> all right, meredith, thank you very much. much has been made of the mounting financial debt michael jackson faced at the time of his death. by some estimates as much as $500 million.

and in the final years of his life, a man by the name of thome thome served as jackson's financial adviser. we spoke with him on tuesday. his first television interview since michael jackson died. >> in the early days when i met with michael, i was taking care of everything. i was taking care of his personal affair, his business, his day-to-day life. when i came to michael's life, i was the only one there. >> and how did you get such a trusted position? how did that come about? >> well, i think from day one, me and michael hit it, and it was a mutual trust between me and michael. >> it was your job to try to minimize his debt, and make the most out of his assets. so can you tell me a little bit more about the state of his affairs, his financial affairs at the time of his death? >> you know, he owes money, we all owe money, but i think his

assets overweighed the debts. and we had an agreement, him and i, when we first start talking in las vegas, when he was living there at that time, he actually came to me and said listen, i will not overrule any decision you make on the business side, and you cannot overrule any decision i make on the creative side. i said it's a deal. >> is it true in an attempt to lower his expenses you actually fired several members of his staff just to cut back? >> yeah, i did. i mean, i have a green light from him, and i thought that there's a lot of money being wasted and a lot of people taking advantage of the situation. really actually michael never cared about money or cared about assets. he just doesn't know the value of money. >> did you ever say to him, michael, look, you're in severe trouble here, your debt has gotten out of hand? >> i told him on different occasion, and he said to me, it's your department, not mine. >> as someone who spent so much

time with him in the final months and years can you just tell me what you will remember most about michael jackson? >> i remember that michael jackson has the biggest heart of any person i ever met. he's full of love. and passion. i love michael jackson and i'm going to miss him. and days, months and hours i spent with him, i'll carry with me to my grave. >> that was our conversation with jackson adviser thome thome. it's now 13 after the hour. now the latest stop on president obama's trip overseas. he flew from russia to italy overnight, where he's already met with his italian counterpart. and will attend the g-8 summy in l'aquila, a region devastated by an earthquake back in april. nbc's white house is correspondent savannah guthrie is travelling with the president. savannah, good morning to you. does this summit have clearly defined goals for success or will there be clear marks if it's a failure?

>> reporter: well, it's interesting. a lot of times, as you know with these world leader summits it's hard to point to real, concrete achievements. the u.s. is expecting that there will be a declaration from these world leaders, the g-8, about iran. and there will be a lot of discussion, as you might expect, about the world economic crisis. you know, there's some division between the u.s. and the brits on the one hand, and some of the europeans about whether there should be more stimulus. the emphasis that there should be an financial regulatory reform. so we expect that to be a robust debate. so we may hear a little bit more about the world economy. as you mentioned, the setting is a little unusual. it was moved from a resort town to this hard-hit earthquake area of l'aquila, still experiencing aftershocks, matt. >> and what kind of reception will the president receive from the italian people? we all know that it was a rather chilly reception when he went to russia the other day. >> reporter: it was a real contrast. because when he comes to europe, we usually thee cease throngs of

crowds really swooning europeans who are very excited about mr. obama. he's personally very popular here. in russia there was a real contrast. it's not that russians don't like mr. obama. they're just more indifferent. a little more skeptical. so we'll see if he gets the same reaction we've seen in europe as we've seen during past trips. on the other hand, security is very tight here. so there's not a lot of opportunity here in l'aquila for interaction with the public. >> all right, savannah guthrie, who's traveling with the president in italy this morning. savannah, thank you very much. let's get a check of the rest of the morning's top stories from natalie morales who is filling in while ann is away. natalie, good morning to you. >> and good morning to you, matt. good morning, everyone. officials are trying to find out who is behind a massive outage on government websites in recent days. the cyber attack hit several government agencies, including some responsible for fighting cyber crime. a similar attack hit government websites in south korea. and some officials there think north korean hackers may be to blame. and the rare appearance today for north korean leader

kim jong-il, who paid tribute to his father, the country's late founder, on the 15th anniversary of his death. today, the senate holds a hearing on lapses in security at government buildings. a general accountability office reports that investigators were able to carry bombmaking materials past security at ten federal buildings. suspected u.s. missiles hit a taliban training camp this morning in pakistan, killing at least 10 people. it was the second missile strike in that area in two days. overseas markets are mostly lower after tuesday's 161-point drop in the dow. cnbc's trish regan is at the new york stock exchange. what are you watching there today? >> good morning, natalie. today kicks off what you could call the moment of truth. 33 for investors. it is the start of the second quarter earnings season. this afternoon, alcoa will begin things. the aluminum giant is expected to have a rather weak result, in that there's been weak demand for aluminum and other goods. now hopefully these numbers will

start to shed some light on the economy. natalie, in recent days, we've seen a growing chorus of people, including some in the administration, who have said we need to consider a second stimulus plan. so hopefully these numbers will dissuade them or push them in that direction. but they should be somewhat definitive. >> trish regan at the new york stock exchange. thank you, trish. and it may not feel like it, but americans are spending less time stuck in rush hour traffic. the texas transportation institute study finds the average u.s. driver spent just over 36 hours stuck in traffic going nowhere in 2007. but that is down half an hour from the year before. the average, though, is the highest in los angeles, where they spend about 70 hours stuck in traffic. it is now 7:17. back over to matt and alexandra. >> all right. natalie, thank you very much. alexandra steele is here from the weather channel because al has takak

>> can absolutely gorgeous, mostly sunny skies today, low humidity but today even cooler, a high of only 80 degrees at b w i-marshall airport. i-marshall airport. all right, matt, back to you. >> all right, alexandra, thanks.

good to have you here. let's check in with meredith now out in los angeles. >> thank you, matt. you know, the tone of tuesday's memorial was one of a celebration of michael jackson's life and music with moments reserved for laughter, and also for tears. here's a look at the most memorable images of the past 24 hours, set to a poem read by michael jackson himself in his song, "will you be there"? ♪ >> in my darkest hour, in my deepest despair, will you still care, will you be there? when my trials and my tribulations draw doubt and frustration, in my anguish, and

my pain, through my joy, and my sorr sorrow, in the performance of another tomorrow, i'll never let you part, for you're always in my heart. >> back in a moment. this is "today" on nbc. pa

still to come, the obama girls second trip overseas and why michelle obama wanted to get them out of the white house. plus, the elephant in the room during tuesday's public memorial for michael jackson. the superstar's troubles, and

much more about michael jackson and his legacy after your local news and weather.

>> live, local, late-breaking. >> good morning everybody. the time is 7:26. parents and students are upset over the announcement to close thousand high school. they will hold a rally at the school later today. it is the oldest catholic school in baltimore and one of the most diverse. church officials say the recession has caused them to close towson's doors. they warn that many catholic schools facing economic challenges. let's check on the commute.

>> we have a serious situation in baltimore. a vehicle went into a house on east baltimore and in north anne street . here is also an accident in middle river and there is a detour in howard county. eastbound 70, approaching 29, avoid a tire tread in the road. watch out for those couple of kings' bert we're seeing delays in the white marsh area of 95. that is the latest. >> plenty of sun outside. we will be less humid than normal today but we will be cooler than normal for the high will only be up to 84 baltimore and daschle -- and absolutely gorgeous. we're looking at 84 degrees.

here is a look at your seven-day forecast. there will be brief return to heat and humidity saturday. >> be sure and check the bottom of your screen for updated news and traffic information. our next live bait -- live update will be at 755

7:30 now on this wednesday morning, july 8th, 2009. bright, sunny morning in rockefeller plaza. just what these fine folks needed to put smiles on their faces to start another day. i'm meredith vieira in los angeles. matt is back in new york, and coming up in this half hour, a tragic danger tied to the housing crisis. >> that's right, meredith. here'sed problem, many homes in foreclosure are left abandoned without being cared for properly, and that includes not caring properly for the pools in the backyard. one family's tragic story just ahead. also, when you lock your doors at night, do you feel safe? well, a "today" investigation has uncovered a technique that

allows crooks to pick the locks in some 95% of all homes in the united states. this is information you're going to want to hear. we'll tell you about that in just a little while, meredith. >> yeah, that's a disturbing statistic, all right. all right, matt, also ahead the obama family's not so typical summer vacation. president obama has brought along the kids on his week-long overseas trip. we're going to take a closer look at their globe-trotting adventure. first let's begin with michael jackson. in both life and death, he has garnered the kind of media attention afforded only the rarest of figures. both for his unparalleled talent, and his personal behavior. nbc's mike taibbi is here with more on that. mike, good morning to you. >> good morning, meredith. you know, there was no one in the staples center yesterday who was unaware of the other part of the michael jackson story. that's why the celebration of his life and his artistry was only most of what the memorial about and why two oblique references to that other part of the story sparked such heartfelt response. one reference, texas

congresswoman sheila jackson lee, reminding anyone who believes the worst about michael jackson of a bulwark of american law. >> people are innocent until proven otherwise. that is what the constitution stands for. >> reporter: and the reverend al sharpton addressed jackson's critics by speaking to jackson's three children. >> wasn't nothing strange about your daddy. it was strange what your daddy had to deal with. but he dealt with it. >> reporter: it was the elephant in the room. and for many in the staples center, too. that a number of young boys starting in 1993 had accused michael jackson of molesting them. he settled millions on the first accuser, admitting no guilt. >> i am totally innocent of any wrongdoing. >> reporter: and kept denying it was true, including a last accusation by a 13-year-old boy in 2003, that landed jackson in a california criminal trial. he was found not guilty across the board, cleared by the jury. but so damaged in the court of

pub yin that until this spring and summer when he announced his high-risk comeback concert series he had almost become what seemed impossible for him, a nonstory. jackson's lead attorney in the criminal trial, tom mesereau said his client was an innocent man who will never shed the label his own eccentric behavior put on him. admitting that he had shared his bed with adolescents many times, innocently he always insisted. >> he was so tortured by this, so hurt by it, so constantly on the defensive about this kind of allegation, that i wouldn't be the least bit surprised if it contributed to his destruction. >> reporter: but that's the man's lawyer talking, and it wouldn't sway another lawyer, new york congressman peter king, from the harsh views shared by other jackson critics. >> this guy is a pervert, he was a child molester. would you let your child or grandchild be in the same room with michael jackson? >> reporter: but what if he was totally innocent and never molested a single child? and what if his own child knew

the real michael jackson better than anyone? >> daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine. >> reporter: in the time since jackson's death he's been the biggest story, again. bigger than a philandering governor sanford, a resigning governor palin, a continuing insurrection in iran, north korean missile tests, the sentencing of history's biggest scam artist, and on and on. it's because of his musical genius, of course, but also because except for a few young boys who are all young men now, no one knows the truth about the elephant in the room in michael jackson's life. meredith? >> mike, it was interesting. as i was leaving the ceremony yesterday this young woman came up to me with tears in her eyes, because she was so moved by what happened and she took my hand and she said now will you stop? and i said stop what? and she said stop saying bad things about michael jackson. he's dead now. now will you all leave him alone. i didn't quite know what to say. as a journalist you have to ask questions but i understood what she meant. he's gone. >> yeah, people have said the

same sort of thing to me in the past week and a half since he died. and the problem is that his fame and his infamy are such that people are invested in one side of the story or the other are going to keep telling that story. i've heard from so many lawyers and people who knew him are saying we've got videotapes of depositions of michael jackson. my client has videotapes of an encounter for deborah rowe, they're all for sale. it's going to become another story. >> that's the problem. everybody you talk to in the story offer the past few days since his death, everybody claims they know him so well. everybody has a story. every story contradicts the other one. so you have no sense of getting at the truth, which is frustrating. because you're trying to believe in this great man, you're going to believe that. if you're primed to believe something else, you're going to believe that. >> there has been lots of stuff on the blogosphere about that. i think the mythology and the debate about the legend continues. >> mike taibbi, thank you so much. now let's get a check of the weather from the weather channel's alexandra steele who is in for al. >> hi, thank you very much,

meredith. i come out here to the plaza and the first thing i see is this, i left my husband in south carolina on my anniversary to see al. have asked today, it will feel more like spring and july 8. we will get up to about 80

degrees today. the normal high as 87 so we are lower until friday. and a wedding today. where are you getting married? >> on the brooklyn bridge. >> really? and someone's going to be up there with you? >> this is our minister right here. he's going to perform the service. >> well, have fun. congratulations. i hope you're not going to stop traffic up there. all right now if you were going 20 get weather information anywhere on the planet, where would you get it? of course the weather channel or weather.com. >> all right, alexandra, thank you very much. now to an unexpected danger involving the financial meltdown. sadly in some cases, it can lead to the worst main a parent can experience, the loss of a child.

nbc's kerry sanders is in fort lauderdale to explain. kerry, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, matt. in some parts of the country, it's common to have a swimming pool in the backyard. but increasingly, behind homes that are in foreclosure, this is what they look like. they're dark, they're dirty, and sadly, for some children, intriguing, as they follow their curiosity into the deep end. >> 911, what is your emergency? >> my child fell in a pool. >> reporter: her grand parents thought cheyenne jenkins was playing out back. >> she fell in the pool. >> okay you have a child who is not breathing. >> reporter: instead the 5-year-old had wandered into the backyard of a foreclosed home. >> please hurry. she's turning blue. >> reporter: despite efforts to revive her, cheyenne died. >> i'm angry. i'm angry that nothing was done. i'm angry that my daughter was taken away. because nothing was done. >> reporter: cheyenne's tragedy is a worst-case example of

unintended consequences of foreclosure. an estimated 4 million americans today live next door to a home that's in foreclosure. conventional wisdom suggests the bank would want to protect its asset. but that rarely happens. why? >> if lenders do go in, and they try to make repairs or they try to do things to improve the situation, they could be sued. so why go down that path? >> reporter: cheyenne's mother. >> her pajamas are still on the floor, stuffed animals she throws out of the bed. >> reporter: she wants to blame someone, but who? the bank? the homeowner? the city? even her lawyer's not sure. >> the problem here is that we were in limbo. >> reporter: in california, those far-away faceless bachers are now, by law, on the hook. citibank recently paid a stack of fines after letting pools and homes go into disrepair. citi says it takes prompt action

when it's notified. still, the message to bankers is clear -- >> if you continue that, you know what? we will fine you and we will also get an arrest warrant for the ceo of the bank. >> reporter: in pinellas county, florida. meet the foreclosure fish. here it's not just the drowning danger in a scummy pool. these bodies of water are also mosquito breeding grounds. >> mosquitoes are capable of carrying virus and it could be a health issue. >> reporter: so in this pool, the neighbor actually has put goldfish to control the mosquitoes. now one obvious question is, why not just empty the pool? but structurally that can cause problems. you take all the water out of the pool, then it actually weighs it down and if the water is out in some cases the pool can pop up out of the ground and break. it's a tragic situation, and really people need to keep their eyes open on it. >> kerry, thank you very much for shedding light on it. coming up next, another safety alert. why that lock on your front door

may not keep your family as secure as you think. a "today" investigation right after this.

we're back now at 7:43 and this morning on "today" investigates, home security. with burglaries on the rise, how well is your family protected? consumer reporter and reader's digest contributor janice lieberman is here with an easy way, way too easy way, for a thief to break into your home.

janice, this is scary stuff. >> very frightening. this is a simple tool, we are purposely not revealing the name of the tool and are leaving out the details in this report on how it actually works. but it is a threat that we feel is crucial to expose so that you can better protect your home and your family. it's the first thing you think about to secure your home and family. your lock. much to my surprise, mark to be aous, attorney and world renowned security expert, showed me how very quickly my house could be broken into by a special master key. >> this is what's standard, five-pin lock. there you go. >> reporter: oh, my gosh. you got into my house. this quick and easy lock-picking technique is used when opening a pin tum blur lock. a threat, because 95% of us have those locks on our doors. >> by balancing the pins for an instant you create a condition where the lock is really unlocked if you turn it. this is a specially cut key.

we're going to stick it in the lock again. we're going to take our lillehammer -- >> reporter: with the tap of a special tool, the key transmits force or energy to the bottom pin tumblers in the lock. they then make the top pin tumblers move, and for an instant they move apart, allowing the key to turn and open the lock. >> that lock is open. >> reporter: that took you a second. >> less than a second. >> reporter: as seen in this actual burglary caught on tape, an estimated 2.1 million burglaries occur nationwide yearly. and that number is rising. but there's no real way to tell if this special master key was used. >> generally, you don't leave any trace. there's no indication of entry. >> reporter: so why alert the public to this vulnerability? tobias decided it was crucial to exposes danger. >> if you don't talk about it, it doesn't make the security threat go away. it just means that you, as the consumer, don't know about it, but the bad guys do. >> reporter: but are these

special master keys illegal? >> yes and no. the post office is making trafficking illegal. they can be considered as a burglary tool. are they inherently illegal? not really. i mean, they're just like any other key. >> reporter: jamie fife, mother of four, felt her house was secure. she agreed to let our security expert try to break in. he got in. >> i can't believe it. i'm shocked. i thought it was very secure. my locksmith told me they were the best ones i could have. >> reporter: didn't take you very long and this was a hart one. >> no. that's why we thought everybody out to know about this. otherwise you would have had no idea about your vulnerability. >> reporter: security experts advise not relying on one means of protection, you need a good lock, an alarm system, good lighting and concerned neighbors who will help you out and watch your house. >> if 95% of the locks out there are vulnerable to this technique. talk to me about some of the 5% that are not vulnerable. >> reporter: so when you go

shopping for a lock, this is what our security expert likes, this quikset under $100, but there's also high security locks like that one which is more expensive. what i advise is talking to a locksmith. ask them for a way to buy a lock that is not susceptible to this type of burglary, which we're not saying what the type of name of it is. >> reporter: what about auto locks? >> they don't use a pin and tim uner lock. >> but this is very scary stuff because it's available for just a couple bucks. >> thank you for passing along the administration. coming up next the obama daughters see the world. what they've been doing on their overseas trip with the president and the first lady. we'll talk about that right after this.

talk about a summer vacation to remember. after a whirlwind trip to russia, president obama has landed in italy this morning on his week-long trip overseas. and along for the ride, his wife and daughters. nbc's norah o'donnell has the latest. norah, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, meredith. the obamas are going to travel to russia, italy and africa on this trip. and today they're going to meet with pope benedict. this after the family missed some in moscow last night by dining by themselves at a super chic club atop the ritz hotel. call it from russia with love. the first family clearly enjoying the trip. in moscow, mrs. obama and the

girls spent time at a national folk dance, on a tour of the kremlin, and the first lady visited an orphanage. >> my olders daughter is malia. and she just turned 11. >> reporter: it's a dream vacation for first daughters malia and sasha, already jet-setters, and now drawing attention for being pint-sized fashionistas. the 'tweens arrived in russia in matching trenchcoats and ballet flats designed by j. crew. the preppy clothing line is already an obama favorite. but after reports surfaced j. crew might be trying to capitalize on it all, the first lady's office said, we do not believe the girls should be used for marketing purposes. it's the obama girls' second trip overseas and comes on the heels of their last european vacation, when they went sightseeing in paris and london. could it mean we will see more of the obama girls while they are out of school for the

summer? >> michelle, for one, has told the staff that she wants to get the girls out of the white house more. and she wants to travel with them so that they could be together as a family. and that the girls can take advantage of all that the parents are experiencing. >> and you know, meredith, it kind of seems like the first lady hasn't received the same kind of frenzied attention like she did in england and france. it's true. because the russian people and the press weren't that interested in the obamas' star power. all of that is likely to change today as the obamas are in italy, where the president there is much more western, and, of course, very interested in fashion. meredith? >> what a summer vacation for those girls. norah o'donnell, thank you very much. and still ahead, much more on michael jackson's memorial and the stars who took part. plus where the jackson family goes from here. >> but first, a look at your local news and your local weather forecast.

>> live, local, late breaking, this is wba ltv 11. >> you might want to consider easing up on the gastric a proposal allowing the use of speed cameras in baltimore city has passed the first round of city council voting. it could go into use by october. you could be issued a $40 ticket. $7.1 million a should be generated. >> let's check in on the morning commute. >> things are picking up a

little bit on the road. we have a be a call into a house with possible pas lane blockages at east baltimore and anne street. marysville road in howard county is still blocked. there's an accident on 32 eastbound. there's an accident in hot halethorpe. there is a on a 95. we'll give you a live look at that. that is in the white marsh area. that is the latest. >> we are looking pretty. we have a temperature of 69 degrees downtown and 65 degrees out at the airport. it will be dry today with low humidities her. -- with low humidity.

by high will be about 80 degrees and 78 degrees tomorrow. how it will be a hot saturday. epoch >> thank you for joining us. our next live update is coming up in 25 minutes.

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we're back now 8:00 on a wednesday morning, the 8th day of july, 2009. we have got a beautiful morning here in the northeast. little showers overnight. but these people are very happy they've cleared out and they're saying hi to the people back home. good to have you all here. i'm matt lauer outside studio 1a in rockefeller center. meredith is out in los angeles. al's on vacation. and meredith, these people are feeling very ripped off. they want their money back for these tickets because you're not here. >> i can't help it, the boss sends me, i gotta go. you know, you have a big crowd there, matt. but the massive crowds expected by police here in l.a., they never fully materialized. but that didn't take away from tuesday's memorial for michael

jackson. from 20,000 folks gathered inside the staples center, for a ceremony that was filled with a sense of both sadness, but also much celebration. of course, nothing tops the heart-wrenching pain of jackson's children, laid bare for the world to see for the first time. we're going to have more on the memorial and hear from one of the stars who took part just ahead. and matt, by the way, we want to give a special thanks to the grammy museum located near the staples center for their hospitality during our time here in l.a. matt? >> all right, meredith, thanks very much. also ahead, making sure your family eats a little bit healthier. mark bittman our friend is here to continue his family food makeover. trying to get the miller family to eat more beans and grains and things like that. we'll find out how mark is doing. then here's a good question for you. is it a good idea to keep a secret stash of cash? when i say secret, i mean from your spouse. good idea? yes? >> yeah. >> okay. we've answered our question. but we're going to have more on

that subject a little later on. first let's go inside, natalie's filling in while ann is taking some time off. natalie, take it away. >> all right, thank you, matt. good morning to you, everyone. president obama is at the g-8 summit in italy today, tackling global issues such as climate change, iran's nuclear ambitions, and the sluggish world economy. this morning he met with italy's president and prime minister. a white house economic adviser says the talks will focus on ways to boost struggling economies worldwide, without pouring in more government stimulus money. still no word this morning on when and where michael jackson will be buried. but officials in los angeles have released his death certificate. however it does not list a calls of death yet. it just says deferred. millions of people around the world, meanwhile, watched the memorial service held for the king of pop at the staples center on tuesday. in melbourne, australia, fans huddled in the chilly weather to catch a glimpse. others were brought to tears. and hundreds gathered for a candlelight vigil last night outside the rock 'n' roll hall of fame. u.s. officials are trying to

find out who's behind a series of cyber attacks on government agencies over the past few days. the websites at the treasury department, secret service, federal trade commission and transportation department were all affected. it's unclear if these attacks are linked to a similar attack on 12,000 government websites in south korea. some officials there think north korean hackers may be to blame. google's announcing today that it's developing an operating system for personal come suitors based on its chrome brouszer. it's a direct challenge to microsoft whose windows operating system controls the vast majority of pcs. a southwest airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing tuesday at baltimore-washington international airport, after striking about 40 birds during takeoff. the plane immediately returned to the airport, and no one was injured. and stormy weather couldn't dampen the spirits of screaming fans at the london premiere of "harry potter and the half-blood prince." the more very's stars also braved the drenching downpours,

hail and strong winds that blew down the barricades. the film hits theaters in the u.s. one week from today. the highly-anticipated summer blockbuster i'm sure. 8:04 right now. let's go back outside to matt. >> this is a group called cast, cousins annual summer trip. they make sweatshirts up. and this year, new york city. >> nice. >> good to have you guys here. enjoy your trip. thanks very much. al

>> absolutely beautiful and mostly sunny skies with a high of 280 degrees. how it is cooler than normal. we will stay that way for the next couple of days. here is a look for a at our seven-day forecast. 87 with showers possible saturday eve all right, in new york, brittany give me your checklist. >> statue of liberty, times

square, and empire state building. >> what's been most fun? >> so far the "today" show. >> all right. there you go. all right, enjoy your day. matt, back to you. >> all right, alexandra, thank you very much. when we come back, insides michael jackson memorial. the celebrities who paid tribute to the king of pop right after these messages. g b

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celebrities don't always allow people in to see their true feelings. but during tuesday's memorial for michael jackson, some of the biggest names in entertainment did exactly that. nbc's lee cowan was inside the staples center for the tribute. lee, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, meredith. you know, it was really extraordinary, i think, about yesterday's memorial, is this sort of unguarded, raw emotions that were onstage. and as much of a performance as this really was, in the end it ended up being as personal as a public memorial could be. it's rare that a memorial leaves you tapping your feet one minute, and reaching for kleenex the next. but so it went. that michael jackson's star-studded farewell. there was jennifer hudson's rendition of jackson's "will you be there," that brought mourners to their feet. ♪ >> reporter: then there was

stevie wonder, who tweaked the words of a classic to make an already emotional song even more personal. ♪ michael why didn't you stay >> reporter: but it was michael's brother jermaine, struggling his way through a charlie chaplain tune, one of michael's favorites, that summed up the memorial's message the best. ♪ you'll find the life >> reporter: in between the music were the words that connected it all. childhood friend brooke shields faced her grief head-on. >> although our hearts are aching, we need to look up, and we need to smile. >> reporter: queen latifah resorted to poetry, sent to her from maya angelou. >> we are missing michael jackson, but we do know we had him, and we are the world. >> reporter: and magic johnson

used humor, recalling a dinner with jackson that revealed just how down-to-earth the king of pop really was. >> wait a minute. michael, you eat kentucky fried chicken? >> that was the greatest moment of my life. >> reporter: kicking his all over was mariah carey, unrehearsed, walking onstage, cold. ♪ you and i will make a pact >> reporter: her voice cracked at the first sight of jackson's casket. >> i feel a little bit like a let everybody down. but i really did try and, it's just -- it was difficult. but you know what? i think it was a true and honest emotional moment. >> reporter: but the emotional scale tipped out of balance when michael jackson's 11-year-old daughter, paris, found the mike. and the courage to speak. >> daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine.

and i just want to say i love him so much. >> reporter: although the family had certainly been working on this for days, meredith, as you saw, very little of it actually looked very rehearsed. it certainly fulfilled the need for fans and a promise for jackson's family to keep michael jackson's memory alive. meredith? >> lee cowan, thank you. toure is an nbc news contributor and writer for "rolling stone." good morning to you, toure. >> thanks. >> very few days they had to rehearse this, to get this ready. your take on it? how would you describe what you witnessed yesterday? >> i mean, i thought the tone was right. i thought that the whole thing just worked right. it was kind of like a black baptist church service. one of these big l.a. churches where you have the doctor and the sanitation worker, but everybody is in suits and praising god, and you know, sort of dancing a little bit, singing a little bit. you know, some of the grittier moments of michael jackson's life were alluded to.

some real moments came out. you know, we talked about magic, talking about kentucky fried chicken. >> which was great. >> i mean, who knew that. but then also like sort of news was made with paris, literally and figuratively, coming from behind the veil, to speak, you know, from her heart. i mean, that was so real. >> i don't think anybody expected any of the children to speak at all. i wonder if that was a spontaneous moment for her. >> i feel like it was spontaneous. i feel like she was kind of fighting her emotions. because she wanted to speak. but she was afraid to speak. and you know, sort of a great moment, too, when she goes to speak and like, you know, eight hands grab for the microphone. let's fix the mike for you. we know how to do that. but clearly, all you see is a deep relationship between paris and janet. you know, and this great sort of hug among all of them. this is a modern, blended family. you know, like different strokes but much different. much more money. but they're going to support each other and work through the emotional times together. >> i felt it also was a moment

that humanized michael jackson and his family more than any i've ever seen. >> that's right. he's been telling us these things about him, his eccentricities to keep the mystery going. he wanted that. kenley riley told me that he knew how to work the media, and to keep us guessing about him. a person who is mysterious is much more interesting than a person who seems normal. but here, we were normalizing michael jackson, and humanizing him, talking about him as a more regular person. >> so many top-notch performers, musicians, performed yesterday, singers. who stands out in your mind? >> i mean, you know, stevie wonder. any time he performs, he's the star. and you know, of course, i never dreamed in summer, you know i mean, that was a heart breaker. if that didn't get you or mariah didn't get you, clearly, surely paris got you. or you're just a grinch and you have no heart. john maher was fantastic. and he's always fantastic. an acoustic version of human nature. that was fantastic.

gave me a lot of great performances. jennifer hudson, you know. eight months pregnant, you know, with break dancers doing their thing. i love that. >> and shaheen, the 12-year-old boy that michael jackson had seen from youtube and picked for his tour in london. he was going to have that little boy sing with him. >> yes. >> a duet every night that he was on the stage in london. 50 performances. and you've got a sense of, i mean, that's comparing michael jackson, but also a sense of, you know, passing the torch from generation to generation. >> it was nice to see a child performer. but also nice to see berry gordie, you know, perhaps the greatest a&r man of all time, talking about the greatest entertainer and telling those stories about baseball or softball together. for anybody else to say greatest entertainer of all time, that's nice. for berry gordy to say that, after marvin gay, smoky robinson, mary wells, so many people, stevie wonder, for him to put that crown on michael

jackson, that really means something. >> do you think the family accomplished what it set out to do in this tribute? >> i think they did. i mean, they gave the world a place to look and put their grief, and their mourning. i mean, look, if michael jackson, if you can believe michael jackson is looking down and watching this, he was so pleased. because it's a global phenomenon. it's a big event. the whole world, the staples center. i mean, people don't have memorials at the staples center. but michael jackson did. >> he sure did, toure. thank you very much. >> thank you. . tomorrow on "today" is brought to you by palm pre. thinking ahead. it's a beautiful thing. >> and now, a special look at what's coming up tomorrow on "today." we're going to have much more on the investigation into michael jackson's death, and where he may be laid to rest. plus, bruno takes on global fame. and we'll have a burger showdown live on the plaza. that is all tomorrow on "today."

and just ahead this morning, mark bittman helps make over your family's menu. that's right after this. thursday, finally! dinner with the girls tonight. mmm... mexican, or italian? i really want dessert tonight. i better skip breakfast. yep, this is all i need. ( stomach growls ) skipping breakfast to get ahead? research shows that women that eat breakfast, like the special k® breakfast, actually weigh less. the special k® breakfast, now in blueberry. so why skip? when you can eat all this...

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[ announcer ] beneful prepared meals. another healthful, flavorful beneful. we're back now at 8:20. and this morning on "how to cook everything today," more of our special family food makeover. mark bittman, "new york times" columnist and author of "food matters" is working with the miller family to improve their eating habits and hopefully help your family out in the process. >> look. a cantaloupe. ♪ >> beans, greens and grains. once a week, cook some beans, cook some greens, and cook some whole grains. so let's go shopping. going to be a purist. i tell you you have to buy dried beans.

but, i know you're always saying what could make things easier? so let's start with canned. i definitely think you should try chic peas. these you can roast or briel until they get a little crispy. >> oh, all right. that would work. >> we want to start with things people like. >> things that are recognizable. lettuce we eat. >> lettuce is great. >> okay. >> whether it's dark green leafy greens or light green leafy greens, iceberg, romaine, it doesn't matter that much. so how about american? i don't buy bottled dressing. i make dressing by pouring olive oil and lemon juice over the salad. two things i would love for you to try. one is cornmeal, like polenta or grits. the other is bulger, cooks really, really quickly. great for breakfast. it's also this fluffy

consistency. >> and you would have it as a side dish? >> these are the fastest and easiest to cook. these are really, really good things to eat. you can almost never go wrong eating them. >> all right. let's go. >> and mark bittman joins us here in the studio. hmm, bulgur and cornmeal. >> let's go. >> how is this family doing in your pinion? >> i think they're doing great? we got this e-mail from marcy, they're eating salads, the fruit thing is getting much better. they're really liking the whole grains, especially polenta and bulgur. which you're going to make fun of. >> i'll try it in a second. these are the roasted chick peas. you use this as a side dish, a salad topping? >> i would use them by putting a little lehman juice on them, salt and pepper and eating them as a snack. >> basically put a little olive oil in a baking pan and throw them in the oven for how long? >> 20 minutes until they shrivel up, dry up and become crunchy and snacky. >> you think this is a good snack? it's a healthy snack i know.

but this is your idea of a good snack? it's not too bad. all right let's move on to the summer greens, and they use lots of different vegetables in their salad. but is the bag the way to go if you don't have a lot of time? >> i think the bag is no problem at all. the thing is that you can also, you know, people buy hearts of romaine and then you just take them apart. they're already washed. and romaine to me is still the lettuce that most people like most. but if you like the mixes, great. >> put it in the sincer there. make the summer salad dressing for the simple summer salad dressing. >> i taught them how to make real vinaigrette with shallot and mustard and all that. but to me you want to dress a salad. you put some olive oil on it, salt and pepper on it, lemon or vinegar and you're in business. >> nothing could be healthier for you than that. >> or faster. >> okay. >> quick question, how long is that one chick pea going to stay in my mouth? >> until you enjoy it. >> okay, good. let's move on to the grains. your suggestion is you make a batch of grains at the beginning of the week and see how long you

can make it last? >> to me you make a batch of grains that's big and use it in as many ways as you can. so bulgur is a fantastic side dish with meat or anything else. and takes to gravy very well. however, i just have it for breakfast. you are not going to make fun of me on this one. >> it's not bad. >> not bad? >> are those raisins? >> currants. i know that if it had chopped bacon on it, you'd be a local lot happier. >> a little scrambled egg over the top, too. and this has got to be incredibly inexpensive. >> incredibly inexpensive and really healthy. >> this is what it looks like raw? >> yeah. >> cooks in five minutes. >> i know we're going to check in with the miller family later in the month. what are you going to have them do between now and then? >> more fruit, more greens. get them to try and enjoy their beans. and you, too. >> pass the chick peas. when we come back, pick the rings for "today throws a wedding" after your local news.

>> live, local, and late breaking. >> help good morning. it is 8:26. at baltimore county police are asking for your help to locate a missing ten. he has the mental capacity of a 10-year-old man suffers from depression. he was last seen in the 7200 block of chippenham place. you're asked to call baltimore county police. let's get a final check on your morning commute. >> good morning, everyone. we have big trouble on 95 south pond at the fort mchenry, tunnel par. at the right side is getting by the the left side is closed. it is about 30 miles per hour

towards the tunnel. "there is a report of an accident in rosedale at franklin square dry. -- howard county is dealing with that downed hall. it has shut down marryat's built road. -- marriottsv testill roade . that is the latest. >> it has been a spectacular morning. there is high pressure that will be building into new england. that means more days for us and with low humidity. the trend is cooler than normal temperatures green today will only be 80. whins are light and out of the northridge there'll be a brief return to the humidity on saturday.

>> thank you for joining us. we will have another update at 8:55.

8:30 now on this wednesday morning. the 8th of july, 2009. looks like a decent start to the morning back home in rockefeller plaza. waiting for the country's superstars rascal flats. they're going to be there friday for a live concert. we have another concert in just one week, leigh and nick's wedding. get out the kleenex because matt, you know you are a crier. >> i'm a crier. there's no question about it. i will be weeping openly. we're already knee deep in planning for that wedding.

already this week we revealed what our viewers have chosen for leigh to wear as the wedding gown. today we're going to tell them what the bridal party will be wearing for the big ceremony. and then, i think we're going to reveal the choices for wedding band, right? >> that's right. i was trying them all on. they're all gorgeous. >> we've got a lot of things coming up. lots of options, meredith, and we're going to get to those in just a little while. >> also ahead, something i hope leigh and nick aren't really thinking about. but a thorny issue for some couples young and old. they're talking about money. and specifically secret money. the question is, is it okay, especially in this economy, to hide cash from your partner? we're going to weigh the pros and cons just ahead. what do you think, matt? >> it sounds sneaky, though, doesn't it, meredith? >> yeah, it sounds like a lot of couples are going to be fighting after they see that piece. that's what i think. also ahead -- also ahead from here in l.a., we're going to have much more on tuesday's star-studded tribute to michael jackson. including what is next for his three kids. was it a good idea for his

daughter paris to speak at the tribute. we will get into all of that. but first, a check of the weather from the weather channel's alexandra steele, who is in for big al. >> all right, thanks, meredith. justin, what do you want to say? >> we want to say hey to our dad in florida. >> what's his name? >> allen. >> i thought maybe you skipped camp or something. >> no, ma'am. >> oh, ma'a'a >> when he local forecast for us today. -- beautiful forecast for us today.

saturday evening, we could get some storms as a front moves thro and it's lucille's 80th birthday. happy birthday. >> thank you. >> and this is what you wanted to do, come to new york? >> yes. my daughters brought me. >> well, happy birthday to you. >> thank you. >> and many more. all right, matt, back to you. >> alexandra, thanks very much. we've got some friends who are here for a conference from california, california, and texas. and your sign caught my eye. i like that. >> thank you. we're loving new york. >> good to have you here. when we come back we're going to check out the wedding band options for nick and leigh in their big wedding coming up. i think in just a week. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

"today throws a wedding," ten years of i dos, brought to you by purina. your pet, our passion. this morning on "today throws a wedding," we only have one week to go before leigh and nick tie the knot live on our plaza. and today, we need your help to pick the wedding bands. milly martini bratton is the editor in chief of "brides" magazine. she's here along with our lucky couple. good morning to all of you. it's getting exciting. okay, before we get to the business of choosing the wedding bands, let's talk a little bit about our bridal party attire, because, america has voted, and without further ado, they have chosen look number -- drum roll, please. work with me. number -- three. the collection by priscilla of

boston, the dress. and the seersucker suit. so nick, let me ask you, because you haven't had a lot of say so far, do you like the look of the seersucker? >> it's cool. >> it's very elegant. >> i thought it would look cool in my wardrobe. >> and for a plaza wedding, it couldn't be more perfect. what do you think, leigh? >> i think it's very vineyard. napa valley feel. very summery. so, i think it's going to be perfect. they're going to look gorgeous in it. >> beautiful. all right let's get to the business, now. thank you to you all, our models and our gorgeous ellie berger modeling in the dress. i'm like, who is that? i know her. oh, yeah. let's talk about the rings, and milly, there's so much to choose from these days and it seems like the choices are endless. when it comes to picking, though, the ring that goes along with this gorgeous engagement ring, this is sort of a nontraditional. tell me about this wedding ring or this engagement ring, first. why did you pick this, nick? >> i think when we talked about

it, a little bit of engagement rings, i love green. >> emeralds. >> she loves green. she loves emeralds, and i'm a little different. so i felt like, you know, let's try something out. i'm really different. >> how did you propose again? she was on a stationary bike, is that right? >> that's the story, yes. >> these are athletes. keeping that in mind, milly, lifestyle, i imagine is something to think about, too. >> oh, absolutely. sure. what's great about this is so you 'nique. you can wear this any time you want on the other hand after you're married. an engagement wiring and a weddg ring don't have to match. they can certainly be different. we have ones here that go well together. but some are entirely different. >> you can wear the engagement ring on another hand, as well. that's something that a lot of people have been doing as of late, too. right? >> absolutely. whatever you like. it's really a great option. the most important thing is take time looking for it, because you're going to wear this every day. this is really a tangible symbol of the rest of your life, of

being in love together. >> it's very personal. >> very personal. do you like the style, does it feel comfortable. >> so let's take a look at what we have. our first set of rings are from david yerman and made of rose gold. i understand this is the new big trend. >> it is the trend. gold comes in white, yellow and rose and rose is very romantic and pretty. gives kind of a pink cast to it. which is very flattering on a lot of skin tones. the lady's ring has diamonds all around, and a signature braided edge to it. >> gorgeous. >> and the groom's ring has two little trends going on here. the rose gold, and a matte and a shiny finish, which is sort of a little tough to see. but matte and shiny is really nice. men's rings are not overly decorative but you can do something interesting with the finish. >> is gold a hard metal? can it scratch where you can see a lot of wear and tear? >> all the metals for all the rings are hard. platinum is the hardest. gold, of course, is very hard, too, and it will last forever. no question about it.

>> they're beautiful. okay, let's take a look at our next set of rings, and this is from the celebrity designer jeweler anna hu and a lot of diamonds as i see in the lady's bands here. >> these are quite different. the men's band is very, very simple 18 karat white gold with two diamonds embedded in it. >> that's a trend, right? >> mm-hmm. >> you're not going to see that. but it's a symbol of their love. >> and it's just for you that you know about. and they're bezel cut which means the diamonds are flush so they're not going to stick up into your hand. that's a comfort factor to keep in mind. this is a little more playful. lots of sparkle. >> can she try? there's no -- you're not with bad karma there? >> not at all. >> see what it looks like. >> and a little more playful, very, very different here, nick. >> something she probably would wear alone more than with her

ring. >> take your emerald, put it on the other hand, and he'd wear this alone. he has some other choices, too, that's a little more modern. >> now martin cass created the wave ring. he's also a celebrity jewelry designer. >> very well known celebrity jewelry designer. these are romantic and these are platinum which give an openwork ring a little more of an edge. here's the groom's ring. nick, right there. >> there you go. >> looks good. >> let's put it on you. >> looks similar, which is nice. these are the two that are most closely alike. lots and lots of diamonds on it. >> and our last look here, probably the most traditional, i think, is the eternity band. >> the darling. >> it is darling, i'll tell you that. >> a classic ring. this is yours, nick, and this is the darling for you. more of a pave diamond. >> and pave diamonds are great. they're tiny little diamonds. it's a great way to get a lot of sparkle but they're not very expensive. so you can add lots and lots of

diamonds, get a big sparkle and get a great value, too. the nice thing about pave. >> boy, they all look nice. >> any top ones? you can't say what your favorite is. >> america will decide. >> but they're all great. >> just when i knew we started this show i knew that all the choices would be amazing and they have been. so we'd be lucky to get any one of these rings. this will be kind of our memory for our lives. for this experience. >> and i know our viewers will take good care of you as they always today. milly martini bratton, thank you. leigh and nick, thank you. let's take a look once again. it's your job at home to help choose the ring for them. ring number one, is david yerman, ring number two by anna hu. ring number three, martin katz. or ring number four by de beers. you have until 4:00 p.m. eastern time to vote either at our website, todayshow.com or by texting the number of your favorite ring to 46833. but still ahead, up next the topic that might interest leigh

and nick, is it okay to hide money from your partner? we'll get into that. pa

we're back now at 8:45 this morning on "today's relationships," money. is it okay to keep a secret stash of cash from your partner? or is that a recipe for disaster? the topic is featured in the july issue of "redbook" magazine. stacy morrison is the editor in chief. she's with us along with psychologist jeff guarder. i did a very unscientific survey on this subject in the last couple of hours and it goes right down the middle. some people think yeah, that's smart, it's a good idea. other people think it's sowing the seeds of mistrust. it's a disaster in a marriage. >> i think there's a big difference between what's separate money and secret money. separate money, yes, the spouses each need to be able to have money they can spend without telling each other, you know, i

want to get a $15 pedicure without having to report it. but stashing away $2,000, $5,000, we have cases of $800,000. >> the woman in your magazine kept $800,000 hidden from her husband. first of all, he's out to lunch if he didn't know that was going on. >> that's amazing. >> i'd like to meet her. >> yeah. >> so we could spend that $800,000. >> do you agree it's okay if it's separate but it's not okay if it's secret? >> i do agree with her. but also i know i keep separate and secret money from my spouse only because i know how to save money a little bit better than she does. so if i'm away from home and she calls and says hey, i need some cash, i'll say listen, go to this stash that i have here -- >> wait a second. how big is your separate account? and how big is your secret account? >> the separate account is maybe a couple of thousand. secret account is, you know, the secret stash, maybe a couple of hundred. but what i'll say to her is, go into this particular spot, where the stash is, you could find and

take the money. but when i get home, when i get home, i move that stash. >> so it's still secret the next time. >> exactly. >> but i think the larger issue -- >> it's for emergencies. >> what couples really need to have is shared goals. you need to have short-term goals and long-term goals. what are we saving for in a big sense, college education, retirement, a vacation house? and short-term they have to have an agreement. they're using someone who runs the household budget, so they're more in the cash flow of the relationship. what you don't want is either member to feel completely beholden to the other about every single penny that you spend. >> let me go back to another thing. if you have a secret -- separate account. should you be forthcoming with all information about that account? should i say to my wife, here's my balance at the end of every month? or is that too much information? >> every couple finds their own way. all the research that "redbook" has done has found there's no correlation whether you have all joint accounts, all separate accounts. it has nothing to do with the health of your marriage. secret money, financial infidelity, consistently pulls the thread of the fabric of

america. >> if you have an open and honest relationship, you don't have to present every month, here's what's going on. the person may ask you the question, or you may just leave it out in the open, so that they can have access to looking at it, because in these tough financial times, matt, we really need to know what's going on in our financial houses. >> that forry in your magazine about the woman who stashed away $800,000 probably prompts a lot of our viewers to be thinking, what are the signs, how do i know if my partner is stashing money? what would the signs be? >> i think one of the very earliest signs -- >> if they're running off. >> well, exactly. that's the second sign, i was going to talk about. where you see spending that is out of the norm, outside of the pattern. but the first one, which i think is important, is that there's not enough money to spend for the family, and for the couple, because that money is being siphoned into a separate account. >> tell me real quicklied communication process. if you suspect it, how do you broach the subject? >> i think the bigger thing is not to think of it as a

financial problem. if you feel that there's secret money, it's not a financial problem you have, you have a marriage problem. you have a communication problem. you don't have a shared idea of what your marriage is and how you're achieving life goals together. so i would approach it from that perspective. honey, i wanted to talk to you about where are we going? what are we doing with our money? times are tight right now. i feel nervous. are we on the same page? do we have the same -- so in other words don't confront your partner. just talk to them, because it might be a very innocent thing that they're doing, but if there's something deeper, it is a sign of a marriage falling apart, then you want to address what the issues are, not scare them into trying to save or stash even more money. >> we always say, it's about having a shared idea of what your marriage is and have to constantly work on that together >> good information. where's your stash right now? >> i can't tell you, because someone might be watching. >> jeff and stacy, thanks we're going to be right back. this is "today" on nbc.

back now on this special edition of "today" from los angeles and new york. according to yahoo! tuesday's memorial for michael jackson mps the website's single most streamed event in history. matt and natalie, 5 million stro total streams. >> a lot of people who watched it felt it was a fitting tribute, kind of the right blend of speeches and music, you can't argue was one of the greatest entertainers of all time.

>> that was what they said over and over again. you heard it from berry gordy, he is the greatest entertainer ever. really tried to humanize him, right, meredith? >> oh, they certainly did. between his daughter and brooke shields talking about him, you got a real sense of the man. >> we're back after your local news. >> our hearts are heavy today because this man, this brother, this son, this father, and this friend is gone far too soon. ♪ just call my name and i'll be there ♪ >> it was the most natural and easiest of friendships. >> i love you, my brother. i celebrate your life. i am proud that i had the chance

to know you. >> michael jackson, i think he is simply the greatest entertainer that ever lived. >> when he did his iconic moon walk, michael jackson went into orbit and never came down. it was magic. >> this is a celebration of his life. of his legacy. ♪ >> michael's favorite song was called "smile." ♪ if you smile through your fear and sorrow ♪ >> we can't help but love you brother michael. >> we are missing michael jackson. but we do know we had him.

and we are the world. ♪ we are the world we are the children ♪ ♪ we are the ones who make a brighter day ♪ ♪ so let's start giving ♪ there's a choice we're making ♪ ♪ we're saving our own lives ♪ ♪ it's true we make a brighter day ♪ ♪ just you and me >> michael, when you left us, a part of me went with you. >> daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine. and i just want to say i love him so much. ♪ hold me like the river of jordan ♪ ♪ and i will say to thee

you are my prayer ♪ ♪ carry me like you were my brother ♪ ♪ love me like a mother will you be there ♪ ♪ >> in the promise of another tomorrow, i'll never let you part. for you're always in my heart. >> it is 8:50 spot. the mta officials confirmed the to a teens were found dead were

struck by one of the trans. the two boys were walking north along the southbound truck sunday when they were hit from behind by and for approaching train. it was not until a second train ran over them that they far collecte host the bodies. city police are searching for a tire slashings. in northeast baltimore neighborhood. residents in the sedonia avenue neighborhood found 30 vehicles with tires slashed. police say they are stepping up patrols in the neighborhood in the hopes of finding it's a... a fork? you're a wombat.

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time of year so we are below of the norm. we have lower humidity and "84 degrees in ocean city. we will the return of humidity by saturday with a chance of storms saturday night into sunday. >> thank you for joining us. we'll have another update at 9:25. 9:25.