good morning. fired up. the debate over health care reform getting nastier, as more angry voters meet face-to-face with lawmakers. this morning, missouri senator claire mccaskill speaks out about her town hall meeting descended into this. >> hey, y, hey! it's all sweet to you. could going on a mediterranean diet reduce your risk of alzheimer's disease by as much as 60%? the results of an important new study. and vancouver, here we come. the winter olympic games now just six months away.

we'll take a look at our spectacular home away from home "today," wednesday, august 12th, spectacular home away from home "today," wednesday, august 12th, 2009. captions paid for by nbc-universal television i can't get enough of those horns. i love those horns. we're going. wednesday morning, i'm meredith vieira. >> somebody put something in your coffee this morning. you're fired up. i'm obviously not matt lauer. he's on assignment this morning. i'm ann curry. boy, meredith -- >> talk about fired up. >> emotions did not spill over at president obama's new meeting but boy did they elsewhere. >> people are angry and frustrated on both sides. in pennsylvania at least one man got in the face of democratic senator arlen specter. things actually got physical during an event held by missouri senator claire mccaskill. this morning she's going to talk about that in an exclusive live

interview. >> also this morning, meredith, the latest on that outburst from secretary of state hillary clinton that has everyone talking. she declared my husband is not the secretary of state. i am. during a q&a session in africa after being mistakenly asked for former president bill clinton's opinion on a topic. what was behind her response? we're going to get into that this morning. >> and later kate gosselin and her wedding ring. as we saw during our exclusive interview this week she's still wearing it, despite the recent split with jon. she said she's doing that for a sake of the children. it is a tough decision for a lot of women when they separate from their husband. how do you know what is best for you and the kids? we're going to get into that. but we're going to begin with the raging debate over health care reform playing out at town hall meetings coast to coast. chief white house correspondent chuck todd was at president obama's event on tuesday in new hampshire and he is back at the white house this morning. chuck, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, meredith. well, look, the president just held the first of what are going to be three town hall meetings this week that he holds. but of course, he escaped some

of that public anger that we've seen. but crowds were not as well-behaved for various members of congress. in town hall meetings across the country, fear and anger have overwhelmed the health care debate. >> he has -- >> he -- >> you don't trust me? >> no! >> i don't know what else i can do. >> reporter: for senator claire mccaskill in missouri, some of the crowd got physical. >> hey, hey, hey! okay. ma'am. okay. we can do this. we can still have town hall meetings, right? >> reporter: but in portsmouth, new hampshire, tuesday, the president faced a far more friendly audience. >> i love you back, thank you. >> reporter: still, the president found himself spending much of his time defending his plan and pushing back against some of the wild accusations. >> the rumor that's been circulating a lot lately is this

idea that somehow the house of representatives voted for death panels that will basically pull the plug on grandma. i am not in favor of that. >> reporter: and he said his request for e-mails from americans who disagree with him has been portrayed unfairly. >> suddenly, on some of these news outlets this is being portrayed as obama collecting an enemies list. now, come on, guys. >> reporter: pro-actively the president tried to turn his fire on insurance companies. >> i don't think government bureaucrats should be meddling, but i also don't think insurance company bureaucrats should be meddling. >> reporter: and unlike members of congress he faced only polite skepticism from a republican in the audience over a government-run health insurance plan. the so-called public option. >> the only thing that i have said is that having a public option in that menu would provide competition for insurance companies to keep them honest. >> reporter: the president

pleaded for folks to talk to each other, not over each other. >> where we do disagree, let's disagree over things that are real. not these wild misrepresentations that bear no resemblance to anything that's actually been proposed. >> no government health care. >> reporter: outside the hall, the misrepresentation was on full display. >> i believe he is a socialistic ruler who is going to turn this country into socialism. >> reporter: but supporters say they don't mind the heated atmosphere. >> this is really good, because they're nervous. and i like that. >> reporter: now, there was one arrest outside of new hampshire yesterday, a 62-year-old man was arrested for sneaking into the auditorium. he was carrying a knife, and then they found out he had a loaded gun in his car. meredith? >> and despite that, chuck, i think a lot of people are wondering why the president's town hall meeting was so polite compared to the contentious ones elsewhere. and has people wondering, did the administration stack the deck with supporters in new hampshire?

>> no. i got two words for you, the secret service. and here's what i mean by that. in order to get in, to get a techate for the president's town hall, you had to logon last week, you had to get and hope you got picked randomly. and i talked to plenty of people there. they seemed to participate in the process. there were detractors in the audience. but then you also have to remember, you have to submit your date of birth, your social security number, in order to be that close to the president. it's not like a member of congress where any tom, dick or harry can just walk in at the end of the day, kind of like a city council meeting. that isn't the way you do it at a presidential town hall. the combination of all of that. plus remember, the president's got a lot of security and there's still the office of the presidency. while nobody has a high opinion these days of senators and members of congress, with all due respect to senator mccaskill that will be on, we're seeing that there's still some decorum left when it comes to the office of the presidency. >> all right, chuck todd, thank you very much. it is 7:06, for more here's ann. >> meredith, thanks. senator claire mccaskill, the

aforementioned is now with us exclusively. the missouri democrat held her own town hall forum on tuesday and it got a bit heated good morning miss -- madam senator. >> good morning, ann. >> both you and arlen specter had a pretty tough time yesterday. and as we just heard from chuck todd's reporting, you didn't have the secret service to protect you from -- from certain kinds of people in the crowd. instead you had everyone coming in to hear you at the town hall meeting which i'm sure you opened your arms to, but they shouted no when you asked if they trusted you. do you understand why? >> of course. first of all, there were a couple of tough moments. but it lasted two hours. and there were thousands of people there. it was terrific. i was proud of the people that showed up, and i don't take that personally. it's that they don't trust government right now. and it wasn't the majority of the audience. it was a huge chunk of them. but i get that distrust. there's a lot of cynicism out there, and it's important that i get out and listen to them. >> are you saying you were not surprised when they said no?

>> no, i wasn't surprised. these are people that are very distrustful of government. they have a lot of pent-up frustration about what has happened over the last six months. because it's come fast and furious. we've had to make big, bold decisions in this economy. and i think that folks are listening to misinformation. you know, the internet's a great thing in terms of getting information out. and the internet can also be a problem. because there's so many people, as the president said yesterday, that are just hearing things that just are flat-out wrong and not true. that's why these meetings are so important top to correct some of that misinformation. >> they asked a lot of questions about health care, and specifically health care for veterans and senior citizens. people became uncivil. i mean, we can't really sugar-coat this. one ripped a sign about rosa parks up. you were booed. you were cut off in mid speech. is this, in your view, honest fear and anger that we're seeing, not something that's cork straighted, and if so, has the president pushed health care

reform too fast, senator? >> i don't think so. i mean, you know, when it's big and hard, congress has a tendency to kick the can down the road. and we can't afford to kick this can down the road. we need insurance reform for most of americans and they get that. i just think that there was just one little altercation that was between two people, where the passions flared for a minute. >> but -- let me interrupt you for a second, because also arlen specter also had a tough time and we also saw this also happen last week. so it's not being pushed down too fast, as you say, kicking the can down the road on health care. would you agree that -- that leaders in washington, like yourself, have not done a good enough job explaining it? because you are dealing with so much anger now. >> well, i think that's part of it. but you know, i'm from missouri, where we're evenly divided and i'm used to getting yelled at from the far left and the far right. in fact, it's not unusual for me to have demonstrations outside of my offices from both groups in different places in the state in the same day. so, but i really am lucky.

because missouri represents the middle in so many ways. we're evenly divided. so that means i've got to listen to all sides, try to find that middle where we can compromise, do good things for the american people, in terms of securing stable insurance coverage, and hopefully do something about that massive deficit as it relates to health care costs. >> your 81-year-old mother was with you. what did she have to say about the outburst, senator? >> oh, she was -- it was hard for her. she's not used to people being that rude. there were some people that were very rude. frankly, i don't think they're very effective when they're rude. just because you're loud doesn't mean you're right. and i think it was hard for her. but, she wanted to be there, and afterwards she gave me a big hug and told me she was proud of me. that's always good to hear from your mom. >> i'm sure you really needed it at that point. thank you so much this morning. >> thank you, ann. >> it is now 7:10. once again here's meredith. >> and now to the other big political talker. secretary of state hillary clinton snapped at a student in africa after she thought she was being asked to give her

husband's take on an international matter. nbc's chief foreign affairs correspondent andrea mitchell just returned from traveling with secretary clinton. andrea, good morning to you. >> well, good morning, meredith. hillary clinton did go where no secretary of state has ever gone before. into war-torn eastern congo. even though she is attracting attention for more domestic concerns. hillary clinton, surrounded by refugees in eastern congo. flying to the remote region on a small u.n. plane, despite security concerns from her aides. in the past decade, more than 5 million people have died here. half a million more forced from their homes. and hundreds of thousands of women and girls raped and mutilated. sometimes by the government's own forces. clinton is now on the last leg of what will be an almost two-week trip. nigeria today, after stops in congo, angola, south africa, and kenya. a diplomatic mission that was overshadowed been day one by husband bill. and his dramatic rescue of two

young journalists from north korea last week. >> we saw standing before us president bill clinton. >> reporter: longtime hillary watchers say that helped explain the secretary of state's angry outburst this week, when she thought a student was asking about her husband's views of a trade deal in the congo. >> you want me to tell you what my husband thinks? my husband is not the secretary of state. i am. so you ask my opinion, i will tell you my opinion. i'm not going to be channeling my husband. >> reporter: it turned out the translator got it wrong. the student was asking about president obama, not bill clinton. her reaction, friends say, partly -- >> i think what you saw on her face was yes, the tiredness that comes from 21,000 miles, 7 countries in 11 days, and the sheer agony of trying to solve what are very, very difficult problems that affect people's day-to-day lives. >> reporter: but the damage was done. unflattering tabloid headlines.

for a woman until now enjoying some of the highest favorable ratings of her career. >> hillary clinton is not only expressing frustrations about being married to a very famous, maybe one of the most famous people in the world, maybe the most famous person in the world. but she's expressing some of the frustrations that women all over, even the most successful women have, as they gain and achieve. >> reporter: friends also point out that hillary clinton had been peppered by questions about her husband all week. adding to the frustration for a secretary of state, who has played second fiddle to her former rival, the president, only to then be outshone by an ex-president, her own husband. meredith? >> andrea mitchell. thank you very much. and as you were saying to me while we're watching that, the frustration is that the real story in africa is not getting out because we're paying so much attention to this. >> exactly, the real story is as andrea was talking about is there are so many women, there's no more dangerous place on earth on the drc, the democratic republic of congo because so many women are being brutally

raped. it is so frustrating. let's get a check of the rest of the top stories from hoda kotb who is sitting in for me at the news desk. >> good morning, everybody. today u.s. marines launched a major operation in southern afghanistan to take back a town held by the taliban. they're battling to gain control of the area before next week's presidential election. newly released e-mails and transcripts of closed-door congressional testimony kate karl rove played a key role in the firing of at least one u.s. attorney in 2006. then white house counsel harriet miers told investigators that rove was, quote, very agitated about a u.s. attorney in new mexico and wanted something done about it. rove denies politics played any role in those firings. police in brazil are accusing the host of a reality tv crime show of ordering at least five murders to boost his ratings. police became suspicious when his show was always first at the scene of violent crime. a new study finds that colon cancer patients who take aspirin cut the risk of dying from the disease by 30%. and that aspirin can help keep

colon cancer from coming back. the study is in the journal of the american cancer association. overseas markets are lower this morning. cnbc's melissa francis is at the new york stock exchange. all eyes today are on the fed. >> that's right. a fed meeting kicks off today with a decision and a statement tomorrow. almost no one expects the fed to raise rates right now but will be listening for language of an exit strategy and timing of when it might raise rates. also begs the question if ben bernanke will be sticking around if his term ends in january. 70% of economists think president obama will reappoint ben bernanke. >> a lot to watch. melissa, thanks so much. about 1,000 people feared dead in taiwan's flooding have been found alive. some rescuers had to be rescued themselves after they were skept away by floodwaters. and there was a dramatic rescue tuesday after a small plane crashed off the coast of ireland. the pilot held onto one of the wings until help arrived.

this morning, he is okay. it is now 15 minutes past 7:00. let's go back to meredith, ann and al. >> we're so glad thaha

>> we are going to be cooler today, in the mid-80's, 85 to 88. slight chance for an isolated thunderstorm or to developing late this afternoon. tomorrow, we will see a little more sunshine. partly cloudy on friday. that's your latest weather. meredith? >> al, thank you. and now to new research out today that eating a specific diet and keeping active cannot only be good for the body, but for the mind, as well. nbc's chief medical editor

dr. nancy synderman is here with some food for thought. dr. nancy, good morning. how cute. >> yes, very cute. first of all, what exactly does this study say and why is it so important? >> it's a cool study. it's looking at the mediterranean-type diet. this published in the journal of american medical association from columbia. what they did was follow about 1800 people in the new york area, with the average onset of age in the 70s and what they basically looked at was the diet and physical activity. and they found that people who combined those two could reduce the risk of alzheimer's by 60%. >> that's an amazing -- >> exactly. we've known about this diet for a long time. what these guys did that was different they hooked up diet with physical exercise and it's that combo which led to an extraordinary number. >> when you talk mediterranean diet, for those who may not know exactly what you're mean. we're basically looking at it. >> you and i know this is the perfect diet. it's fish, olive oil, nuts, whole grains, fruits, what you don't see, you don't see red meat. you don't see chicken.

you don't see a lot of dairy. you don't see refined carbs and sugar. but this is everything that you need. >> when you read the statistic that one out of every eight baby boomers will develop alzheimer's are you saying based on this study that we can control now who does get it and who doesn't? >> i think we are increasingly knowing that you are born with a certain gene pool, and certainly with alzheimer's there's a genetic hit for a lot of people. >> i know for our family there is. >> these are the cards i was dealt when i was born. but increasingly, we may be able to trump some of those genes. we may be able to stop some of those genes from turning on. environment, environment, environment is, i think, going to show -- be a bigger, bigger role. so when you -- even if you don't like to go to the gym. it's about moving. and it's about eating smart stuff. and this is really the best. >> and it tastes good, too. switching gears for a second. the study about aspirin that shows that people diagnosed with colorectal cancer if they take aspirin, they reduce the risk of dying by half.

>> by half. this is where my family history comes in. this is what i know we're going to get in our family. if you already take aspirin, and you get cancer, you reduce your risk of dying by 37%. if you even start aspirin after your diagnosis, you decrease it by over 50%. >> is there any theory as to why? >> there's an enzyme called cox-2. it causes inflammation. aspirin stops inflammation, turns this enzyme off. for something that costs a penny a pill, increasingly aspirin is an extraordinary wonder drug. not something to take, you know, without your doctor flowing, but i take one every day and i think most doctors 0 do. >> and important to know this is cancer that has not metastasized >> this is local cancer in the gut. nonetheless, aspirin, something that everybody for heart disease, cancer stroke, you have to ask your doctor, should i be taking this every day. >> all right, dr. nancy, thank you so much. >> you bet. >> have a carrot. >> i'm going to have a sandwich. >> it's 7:20. once again here's ann. >> all right, meredith, thanks. now still more new information in the michael jackson case,

investigators have now served a las vegas pharmacy looking for prescriptions that may be tied to jackson's death and nbc's jeff rossen is in los angeles with details this morning. hey, jeff. >> reporter: hi, ann, good morning to you. police are trying to track the medication now from start to finish. from the pharmacy, to the doctor, all the way to michael jackson himself. now, law enforcement sources tell nbc news jackson's own cardiologist, dr. conrad murray, a name we've heard before, may have used this pharmacy as a supplier. federal drug agents and los angeles police moved in tuesday to a strip mall in las vegas. >> at this time we executed a state search warrant for documents. >> reporter: law enforcement sources tell nbc news they were looking for prescriptions, computer hard drives, any evidence linking five pharmacies to dr. conrad murray, michael jackson's personal physician. his home and offices have already been searched. >> obviously information was obtained that said, we better

get to this pharmacy. there must be other records there that will help us in our case. >> reporter: the ap reports dr. murray purchased propofol from this pharmacy. the same anesthetic found inside jackson's home. law enforcement sources tell nbc news dr. murray administered propofol to jackson on the very day he died. >> if they can connect dr. murray to the propofol in nevada, connect him to the propofol in the house, it brings law enforcement one step closer to being able to prove a homicide against dr. murray. >> reporter: the cause of jackson's death has not been revealed. the toxicology report remains sealed. but court papers show dr. murray is the focus of the manslaughter investigation. this is the sixth warrant involving him. in houston police searched his office and storage unit where they confiscated 21 items, including e-mails from a yahoo! account, a forensic image of a business computer and vooims of two drugs. in las vegas police searched his office, his storage unit. >> this is the residence of dr. conrod murray.

>> reporter: and his luxury home. they walked out with his hard drive, his samsung cell phone, a blackberry and his apple iphone. his lawyer wouldn't comment on this new pharmacy search, but maintains dr. murray never prescribed anything that should have killed jackson. >> you have the autopsy results, and the toxicology from those results being completed, and law enforcement is just being thorough doing the final search warrants. i think we're very close to decision on whether dr. murray or somebody else may be charged. >> reporter: as we've reported before, the autopsy is now complete. they know the cause and manner of death. but the lapd is keeping it private. we're told the los angeles d.a.'s office, ann, is being extra careful here. they want a mountain of evidence before they make any arrest, which could explain this delay. it's been seven weeks tomorrow, actually, since michael jackson died. >> all right jeff rossen, thank you so much this morning. and coming up next, he vanished at sea four years ago. but is olivia newton-john's former boyfriend still alive? the surprising new clues that have surfaced in this case. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

still to come, is it time for kate gosselin to take off her redding ring? >> plus the winter olympics now just six months away. we're going to look at vancouver. >> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i'm stan stovall. here's a look at one of our top stories. a lawyer for a 17-year-old lamont davis, accused of shooting a 5-year-old girl in bed, says that video from time grammars -- girl in the head, says that a video from crime

cameras will prove his client is not guilty. the public defender argues that the suspect in the video is not his client. according to court documents, several witnesses identified mr. davis as the shooter. >> a few more weeks of lighter volume before school goes into session. we are dealing with a few incidents. no real delays. 146 shutdown, jarrettsville pike and phoenix, due to an accident. paul byrd and delvale, don." city. 11 minutes is your outer loop drive time on the northeast side. 11-minute ride on the west side outer loop. let's check another portion of 95 in the white marsh area. continues to move pretty well, even though it has gotten a little more crowded. live view of the west side in the body.

-- on the liberty. >> 72 at the airport, 77 downtown, 80 in ocean city. an upper level low is a spinning over west virginia. we will hit a high of 86. cooler than normal. cooler than we have been this week. tomorrow, 85. 84 on friday. we will have a slight chance of a shower or thunderstorm each afternoon. >> our next live update is 25 minutes.

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because every diet needs a little wiggle room. authentic iced lattes from dunkin' donuts. made with real espresso, milk, and whipped cream, to help you take a break from reality. treat yourself for just $1.99 today. 7:30 now on this wednesday morning, all 12th, 2009. happy crowd waving away out in rockefeller plaza. we're going to lead out to say hello to just a little while. meanwhile, inside studio 1a i'm meredith vieira alongside ann curry. matt on assignment. coming up, gucci, chanel, tiffanies. you may know the brands but should an 8-year-old? >> we're going to hear from some parents, meredith, of a focus group, basically the study reveals that -- exactly what markets are doing to reach our kids to younger and younger audience. you might be surprised what

brand names your kid may know about. >> also ahead, do you know what you're packing yet for vancouver? >> no, because it's six months away, meredith. but i think i should be thinking about it. >> long johns. six months away from the 2010 winter olympics in vancouver. coming up how the is, because the city has been spending a lot of time getting ready, and also preview of our home for the duration of the games. we've got grouse mountain. >> we go there every year as a family. it is stunning. i cannot wait to share that with you. also coming up tomorrow here on "today," we have an exclusive interview with brad pitt. and here's a sample. i'm looking at this here, and it's pretty good. it's got a -- there's a -- there's a nice rendering of you, i think. >> okay. >> right. well listen, you know, schwarzenegger is governor of california. al franken is now a senator. there's also a guy named ronald reagan. if chosen, would you run? >> so we're going to tell you what he had to say to that question. whether he would be interested in the job of being mayor.

also we talked a lot about -- he said a lot of sweet things, meredith, about his family. he's clearly -- >> so that's nice. >> they are very private. they don't talk a lot about it. and you know, i respect that really. but he actually did say a few sweet, really sweet things. >> i look forward to that. that's tomorrow. but we're going to begin this half hour with new developments in the disappearance of olivia newton-john's former boyfriend. no one has seen him since he vanished back in 2005. now a private investigator believes he is very much alive. nbc's miguel almaguer has the story. >> reporter: patrick mcdermott was in the spotwhite when he started dating olivia newton-john. but he's still making headlines after mysteriously disappearing at sea four years ago. authorities presumed he's dead. but there have been multiple reported sightings in mexico from witnesses who say he's alive and well. now a mysterious fax has surfaced. just three paragraphs long, it claims mcdermott wants to be left alone. >> i believe that it is an

authentic fax, and i believe when we look back at it, i think it will be one of the pivotal turns in this case. >> reporter: philip klein received the fax, a private eye who continues to look for mcdermott, years after authorities have given up. in 2007, klein was hired by "dateline" to probe into the disappearance. mcdermott was a longtime boyfriend to olivia newton-john. famous for her role in "greece." ♪ my heart is set on you >> reporter: and for her successful recording career. ♪ physical >> reporter: but just before his disappearance in 2005, the couple had broken up. plagued by financial problems, mcdermott boarded a large fishing boat for an overnight trip out of san pedro, california, but he never came home. the coast guard completed two investigations. both ruled he was lost out to sea. >> i firmly believe he's out there. myself, personally, i'm 100% sure. but as an investigator, you

know, we always play the odds. >> reporter: and now comes a mysterious fax. asking the investigator to stop his search. in part it reads, pat has no ill will to anyone. let him live his life in peace. neither klein nor nbc news could authenticate the fax or who sent it. as for olivia newton-john, she has since remarried and moved on. but this private investigator says he can't, not until he solves the mystery of what happened to patrick mcdermott. miguel almaguer, nbc news, los angeles. >> nbc news analyst clint van zandt is a former fbi profiler. clint, good morning to you. >> hi, meredith. >> you know, you have said from the beginning that you believe that mcdermott did fake his own death. does this fax fit into what you understand about the case? >> well, i think it really does. if you take this fax as something that pat mcdermott would have sent, he basically says, hey, i've done nothing wrong, i've committed no crime.

like greta garbo, i want to be left alone. and just let me move on with my life, leave me alone, i've created a new life. maybe with new people. i don't want to go back to my old life. so, if he feels that he's being hounded, and if he feels he's living someplace where he can't just get up and run away again, this may be consistent with what he would be thinking at this time. >> in other words he would feel that people are getting closer and closer to finding him. he's getting nervous? >> yeah, i think so. i think that could be the case. that could be the genesis of cranking this out. but you know, the reality is, you and i know, if you send something like this out, all you do is just re-ignite the fire that is going to help people continue to look for him. >> clint, if he is discovered, what are the criminal charges that could be brought against him if he's brought back to the u.s. from mexico? >> yeah, which is the good question. you know, he says in his fax, i've done nothing wrong. meredith, he may not have. if all he said was life is too tough, i've got financial challenges, i've got issues, my

girlfriend broke up with me, the court issued an order saying that i have to pay child support, got all this coming down, i've had it, i'm going to move on, and he's done that, if he hasn't tried to defraud the life insurance, or if he hasn't cheated anybody else out of money, he's got a right as an adult simply to move on with his life. >> so the question is, if there were insurance fraud, i guess. how hard is it, clint, to fake your own death? >> you know, people watch "24" and they say oh, you know, they do it all the time. unless you're a member of the witness protection program, you've never experienced that, i've put people in that protection program before. and, meredith, you've got to drop your former name, you've got to drop your parents, you've got to, if you've got a former spouse and children, you've got to move on from them, new driver's license, new college diploma, you've got to have documentation to back it up. you have to remove your facebook page. all of this stuff has to go away, and meredith, if you make one mistake, if you screw up one

time, the police are going to be there, and they're not going to be there under your old name, they're going to be there under your new name and they're going to take you to the judge who's going to look at both names, just like in the case of patrick mcdermott. he allegedly had two passports. one in the name of pat mcdermott, and one in his birth name, pat kim, that he's allegedly traveling on now. somebody's going to look at those two and say, sir, which one are you? but in his case, if he didn't do anything wrong, maybe he just has the right to drop out, go down to mexico, and live on a fishing boat. meredith? >> i guess i'll be back here tomorrow. not going to work out. darn. clint van zandt, thank you very much. >> we don't want you to escape? >> no, i was just kidding.

>> there is a nice channel of clouds that are infiltrating the area. we will see mostly cloudy skies today. limited amount of sunshine. cooler temperature range. mid-80s is right where we should be for august 12.

that's your latest weather. meredith? >> al, thank you. and still to come, the big discussion to come out of our exclusive interview with kate gosselin. if her relationship is ending, when should she take off her wedding ring? but up next, how brand savvy are your young children? what some parents were surprised to learn. and the marketing techniques.

back now at 7:42. this morning we're wrapping up our special series "kids inc.," today's brand savvy 'tweens. on tuesday we give you an inside look at a focus group featuring kids between the ages of 8 and 12. but what the kids didn't know, their parents were watching. and what they saw surprised them. >> i was a little surprised that

so many children were so brand conscious. >> i think they're being a little bit overwhelmed with the media. >> you can hear some music and when you think about a brand, raise your hand. >> whoa. >> here's the next one. >> that's right. >> it's amazing how much exposure they have and how they recognize things immediately. >> 3, 2, 1 -- >> the wii. >> wii, you hear that? >> how much influence marketing and branding has really taken over. >> kellogg's. >> and this? >> pepsi. >> and this, mtv. >> and this? nike. >> who knew this was gucci? you knew this? how can you see that? there's no logo. >> the "g." >> they knew who gucci was. and i didn't know that it was a gucci bag.

>> abercrombie and fitch. >> there's their logo. no name. >> but you walk in and they have that picture. >> olivia pointed out to me when we went into abercrombie one day, mom, you can always tell it's amber cropby, because of the smell. of course, i wanted to run out of there. >> you associate a smell? >> you can. >> i can even smell it. >> you could smell it on those ones? >> the girls really knew their brands. and the way they knew them, because a lot of them didn't even say from commercials. so it was just, you know, from street scenes on magazines, things like that. >> there are people out there, their sole job to sell your kids on things so you can be sold on things. >> i don't know that you can really stop the train that's left the station. >> hmm, martin lindstrom is chairman of marketing and neuroscience company biology inc. and also the author of "buy-ology" the truth and lies

about why we buy. is there any evidence that this generation is more brand savvy than prior generations? >> absolutely. >> why? >> well, it's because they're exposed to so much stuff. >> they're targeted? >> they are totally targeted. you have to remember that 67% of all new cars bought in the family are decided by the kids at home. >> so then these companies want to get the kids on board, so to speak? >> they want to use them as a carrot to get the parents to buy a lot of other brands. >> and it's not just commercials. there's product placement all over now in movies, in tv shows. so it's rampant. so what is the best thing, what is the biggest culprit, rather, the best way for parents to stop exposing their kids to so much of it? >> well, i hate to tell you, ann, but switch off that television. number one. because you have to remember, today we know from the biology study that 50% of all the brand preferences kids have are made because of television. and it's not just a television commercial. it's from the food. it's also those innocent half-hour cartoons running. they are typically paid by the

manufacturers to place them on air, free of charge, and one big ad to maybe buy more playing cards and action figures. >> so when your child is a year or two years old you're exposing them to things that may result in people being so knowledgeable at such a young age about brands. you also say that when you're shopping with kids and they're asking for the brand, you might want to distract them, try to give them something else to do. what other suggestions do you have? >> you have to remember when you walk into a retail store, you're giving them the key to temptation land. so what you have to do is to make sure you distract them by giving them a job. ask them to find the cheapest toothpaste. ask them to count the numbers of shampoos out there. and then give them a lesson about when you see those 50 shampoos, guess, what, there's not a lot of difference. you can buy the cheaper one, it's okay. >> you also say you should delay your decision and also maybe give your children shopping allowance. i'm hopeful that this economy will make a lot of young people, and actually all of us, understand that we should be shopping smart and be careful. >> and i hope you're right. but i don't think it's going to be the case, unfortunately. but let's do the best to at

least educate the kids. >> all right, martin, thank you so much. it's been revealing. and coming up next, how vancouver is preparing to welcome us and the world to the 2010 winter olympics. it's coming up right after this.

this morning on our countdown to vancouver, six months to go. the 2010 winter clinton picks open on february 12th. and vancouver, canada, is getting ready to welcome the world, and us. engulfed by mountains and surrounded by water on three sides, vancouver is an outdoor enthusiast's dream city. >> such a variety of things to do. >> reporter: and while these days most vancouverites are still thinking about fun in the sun, olympic officials are focusing on hosting a global event in an ever-changing global economy. >> none of us, i think, thought that we would be at this time

talking about budgets and finances and resources and making it all work. but that's just the reality. we got the vane us built on time and on budget a couple years ahead of the games and we're getting it done. >> reporter: also completed on time, canada line. a brand-new airport to city center subway system that will help transport over 100,000 passengers a day, when the city of 2.2 million people becomes a city closer to 3 million. while vancouver's olympic venues get their final shine, canada's athletes are polishing their skills. even though this will be its third, canada has never won gold while hosting the olympics. >> we set our goal to make sure we get some gold medals in 2010. we're going to have a few left over for everybody else. but we're going for the gold. >> reporter: vancouver's crown jewel, the richmond oval, has also been tested by some american skaters. >> canada's almost like a second home. and i just -- i love the energy that's here and really looking forward to competing here. >> reporter: just a few miles away there the oval, final touches are added to the

athlete's village, which will be home to over 2,000 athletes. but what about the home of our own olympic dream? >> this is it. this is the grouse mountain alpine chalet. this is where you're going to start the show every day. this is your home base. >> reporter: grouse mountain, just 15 minutes from downtown vancouver is a local treasure, allowing year-round activities with urban convenience. in the summer, families gather here for outdoor entertainment, while thrill seekers dangle above miles of alpine rain forest. visitors can reach the summit by foot, or by riding the largest aerial tram in north america. and while these days the trails are full of hikers, make no mistake, in a few short months this becomes a winter playland, for skiers, skaters, and before long, our own crew. with miles of wooded trails at our fingertips, grouse mountain will offer a unique vantage point to report on the games and make some memories of our own. >> it's just a magical place. because you're so close to an

amazing city, and yet you're in the wilderness at the same time. >> reporter: and at over 4,000 feet, the view from grouse is spectacular. overlooking a city ready for the world's attention and its moment in history. cannot wait. >> oh, so exciting. >> can't wait to see what you and matt do in spandex. >> oh, no, we're going beyond that.

>> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i'm stan stovall. time for a check of the morning commute with sarah caldwell. >> will incidents to report. in anne arundel county, jumpers walgrove, pasadena road, accident involving a flatbed truck. southbound 95 at the dachau no,

accident reported. that stands 3 mill road in phoenix, we have an accident blocking elaine there. -- blocking a lane there. but distillate from 95 towards the 83's, 11 minutes on the outer loop west side. heading out this morning, this is 295. possible incident just south down past the beltway. we will switch to a live view of traffic in the area of harford road. that is the latest on traffic pulse 11. >> mostly cloudy skies. isolated thunderstorms this afternoon. hit and miss for variety, though. 86 is the normal high for august 12. same deal on the shores of ocean

city today. partly cloudy, slight chance of an isolated thunderstorm. 30% coverage of showers and storms in the afternoon. >> our next live update at 8:25.

8:00 now on this wednesday mark, august 12th, 2009. we have stepped outside to say hey to some folks here. we have another wonderful crowd honoring us with their presence here on the plaza. >> lots and lots of lovely people. >> we have a lot of kids. >> a lot of them already. >> it's all good. i'm here with ann and al. matt, as we said before, is on assignment today and will be

back tomorrow, i believe. just ahead when kate gosselin joined us for an exclusive interview this week she talked about why she is still wearing her wedding ring, despite the fact that she and john have separated. it is a tough decision that is faced by a lot of women who are going through divorce. how do you know when the time is right for you and your family? we're going to get into that. >> also coming up this morning, would you believe a car that gets 230 miles to the gallon? >> wow. >> get out. >> no, i'm not kidding. gm says it's got one. it's basically a new electric car. that's i think more miles per gallon than the tie oat to prius. >> it's the first car to get in triple digits. >> we don't know -- i think it's not coming out for a little while. >> next year. >> we're going to get to the bottom of that story. >> that's impressive. hopefully they're not lying. and speaking of lions, meredith and ann are going face-to-face with lions. >> where are you going to be? >> i'm going to be standing behind you. >> they're baby lions. >> you've got to join us. >> that's pretty cool. >> and really important story

behind these lions, as well. >> was that a little fashion? >> oh, yes, what happened to you this morning? >> meredith wants me to talk about this. we want you to weigh in with what you thought. i actually got dressed this morning, at the last minute changed my -- >> you had this on which is a very pretty flower effect. >> certain -- >> men. >> -- bosses of our broadcast thought it was dopey. >> i wouldn't say dopey. >> thought the audience would be distracted by it. >> no? >> i like the button. >> no. >> no, the button's terrific. >> i think we should let the audience at home decide. they can call -- >> they can twitter. >> it's interesting. fashion is important and whether things distract. so there you go. >> what can you make of this? >> i can make a hat or a brooch or a pterodactyl. >> i think right there. >> what did you say? >> what did you say? i can't hear you. >> okay. >> contact don knapp. >> okay. >> actually, this is don knapp.

>> isn't hoda -- >> isn't hoda waiting to do the news? >> hoda, what's going on in the world today? >> waiting patiently. good morning, guys. good morning, everybody. today more than a dozen lawmakers are holding town hall meetings on health care reform as the debate heats up around the country. on tuesday, a town hall with arlen specter got pretty heated when some constituents came face-to-face with the pennsylvania senator, expressing anger over any new legislation distrust in the government. in missouri, tensions were so high that some people got physical at a town hall with senator claire mccaskill. today, president obama and the first lady are hosting a white house reception for sonia sotomayor. sotomayor was sworn in over the weekend as the newest supreme court justice. recovery teams on the hudson river are recovering the last two victims and most of the small plane that collided with a sight-seeing helicopter last weekend. officials will examine the wreckage to try to find out what caused the collision that killed nine people. the president of costa rica has contracted the h1n1 virus, or swine flu.

a statement says the 69-year-old suffers from asthma, and is at higher risk than most. he is quarantined at home, and he is on anti-flu medication. u.s. marines are launching a major assault today in southern afghanistan trying to gain control of a taliban stronghold ahead of next week's presidential elections. and as we said, general motors says one of its newest cars can get unheard of mileage. again, as al was pointing out, 230 miles per gallon. cnbc's phil lebeau is at the gm tech center in warren, michigan. phil, sounds too good to be true. >> it is an amazing story that's getting a lot of attention, hoda. this is the electric chevy volt that will usher in the era of triple digit fuel economy. listen to this. general motors believes this car will get 230 miles per gallon in city driving. it could be the new gold standard for fuel efficiency. gm claims its hybrid electric chevy volt will get an

astounding 230 miles per gallon. >> we're very confident in that 230. to tell you the truth, we discounted it a little bit, because we hope that in the final verification i wouldn't be surprised to see it even a little bit higher than that. >> reporter: the rechargeable volt will run primarily on batteries with the first 40 miles being all electric. after that, a small gas engine kicks in, to help power the electric motor, a total of 300 miles before it needs to be recharged. >> 100 miles per gallon will get your attention, 200 miles per gallon you've got to pick your jaw up off the floor. if they show it's real, this changes the game for everybody that's building cars. >> reporter: proving the volt gets 230 miles per gallon in city driving will depend on the epa's fuel efficiency rules for hybrid electric vehicles. those rules are stillble finalized. using a preliminary formula from the government, however, gm is confident in the volt's mileage claims. but others are not so sure. >> there's nothing to compare it to, particularly without any

kind of formula for finding out how they derived it. it's very nice. it's very good news. >> reporter: just a month out of bankruptcy, and in the midst of a terrible slump for the auto industry, gm needs some good news, and in a world where the average car gets 22 to 23 miles per gallon, a volt delivering ten times better fuel efficiency could be a game changer for gm. the volt is the start of a wave of electric vehicles coming in the next couple of years. ford, nissan, toyota, they all have electric vehicles that are coming out. hoda, the electric car is coming. >> wow. can't wait. all right, phil, thank you so much. and police in egg land are on the hunt for two men in connection with one of the country's biggest jewel heists. the pair walked into an upscale london jeweller, threatened the staff with handguns and getting away with $65 million in jewels. amateur video shows the robbers running out of the store briefly taking an employee hostage. she was unharmed. wow.

it is now six minutes past 8:00. let's go back outside to meredith and ann. >> wow. >> six minutes past 8:00 that must mean al roker time. >> yay! >>

>> very happy birthday to them 77 degrees downtown, a 72 at the airport. we go into the mid-80's today, which is normal for august 12. slight chance of a thunderstorm slight chance of a thunderstorm or two this and we just wanted to say hi. our wardrobe lady, donna richardson, her dad is here. how are you, sir? >> cleveland! >> all right, cleveland in the house. now let's head back over to ann. >> okay, al, thank you so much. coming up next, a tough decision

that a lot of women, including kate gosselin make, when is the right time to take off your wedding ring and tell your children that it's really over? one coffee with room, one large mocha latte. medium macchiato, light hot chocolate hold the whip, and two espressos. make one a double. she's fiber focused! i have two cappuccinos, one coffee with room, one large mocha latte, a medium macchiato, a light hot chocolate, hold the whip, and two espressos, one with a double shot. gonna take more than coffee to stay this focused. stay full and focused through the morning... with a breakfast of kellogg's® frosted mini-wheats® cereal; an excellent source of fiber that helps you avoid... the distraction of mid-morning hunger. no thanks, i'm good. yep! (mom) i'm so proud of you.

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back at 8:12. reality star mother of eight kate gosselin opened up about her split with jon earlier this week in an exclusive interview here on "today." and while she was here we talked about her decision to keep wearing her wedding ring. i notice that you still have on your wedding ring. why is that, kate? >> i am wearing the ring, well, because it's been there for ten years, and just because the kids still see it, they've seen it their whole lives and they know that's my marry to daddy ring. and when the time is right, i will take it off. i've done a trial of a day here or there. >> does it feel strange to you to do that? >> yes. and it's very gradual. and i just want all of this to be very gradual. so that i can -- my goal is to

preserve them in the most healthy way possible. >> so how do you know when it is the right time for you to remove your ring? the director of clinical training at drexel university's couple and family their pi graduate program, and dr. charles is medical director for the los angeles county department of children and family services. good morning to both of you. >> good morning. >> good morning. >> if i can start with you, kate gosselin is struggling with this right now. it's probably a lot of people are out there. this is not about kate. i want to make this clear. this is really the bigger issue here. and, you know, if you are going through this, when is the right time to take your ring? how do you know when it's the right time for you? >> i think you have to do some deep soul searching. and there's no cookie cutter answer for these kinds of things. it's grief, it's trauma, it's loss. and you really have to develop a way to transition that's healthy for you and healthy for your children. and so for people who say you've got to do it at this specific

time, that's wrong. you really do have to take your time and do it in a way that doesn't spin you out of control and then make it worse for your children. >> so keeping in mind the way your children will react to the ring is important. because i would think they would attach less significance to it than you might. >> they may attach less significance to it. depends on their age. and yes, as she said, it's a mommy/daddy are married ring. so that is a transition for them. and they really have to pay attention to what the cues are for yourself and for your children. >> doctor, kate also mentioned how she wants to take things slowly with the kids, gradually introduce them to this notion of separation. overall do you think that is a good idea for people who are separating? >> good morning, yes i really do. i think that it's a smart maneuver to take things slowly. as just the same type of behavior you have with that ring, you need to take it over time. it's going to be a shock for those children and it's going to rock their world. so you want to go slowly. and you want to be able to give them some predictability and some control over where they're going to live, how much they're loved, and it's not about them.

so slowly is better. >> and depending on the age of the child, doctor, would that affect what you tell them and don't tell them? >> oh, absolutely. in this type of a situation, it's almost better to separate them by their ages, and tell the 9-year-old what you need to tell them, age appropriately, and the same for the younger children. less is more. and allow them to ask questions, and allow them to have the emotional space when they're told to be able to deal with those emotions safely and be able to have some breathing space emotionally. >> okay, thank you dr. sophy, very much. and dr. arje, as well. reminder to parents, never make your kids feel it's because of them. they are not the problem. >> yes. >> up next, can't get your guy to go shopping? we may have found a solution. we're going to fill you in. sts. dallas. detroit. different rates. well with us, it's the same flat rate. same flat rate. boston. boise? same flat rate. alabama. alaska? with priority mail flat rate boxes from the postal service.

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and one of the most technologically advanced automobiles on the planet. this is the 9th generation e-class. this is mercedes-benz. the bad economy has been tough on a lot of american businesses, but every once in awhile you hear about a success story and today's jenna wolfe is here with you. >> ann, good morning. so if you've ever had to wrestle or control your man to the local mall for a fashion tune-up, we have made -- we may have found the antidote to your frustrations, and to his. >> i need something for the party saturday. >> reporter: a weekend stroll in new york. window shopping the trendy streets of soho. for her, it's bliss. for him -- josh! not so much.

>> too linenish. >> reporter: it's not per expect. let's face it guys don't always get the pure joy of shopping, even when us girls are shopping for them. instead of pulling clothes, we find ourselves pulling teeth. well, ladies, help is here. except it's actually way up here in the northwest. smack dab in the middle of bend, oregon. meet joanna, a young entrepreneur who, until recently, had plans to develop high-end fashion outlets in five cities around the u.s. but with the downturn in the economy, she lost her investors. so, she created the trunk club. >> i would say the trunk club is a private men's clothing club, in which men never have to shop in a traditional store ever again. >> reporter: the trunk club, a web cam virtual clothing business for men, has quadrupled in size in the last six months. and now serves over 1,000 clients. if you're a guy who wants to dress well but you don't have

the time or the patience to shop, this is for you. jay was once that guy. and here's how the self-proclaimed fashion challenged restaurateur looked before he joined the trunk club. so what's jay wearing these days? a little bit of everything. >> you know, each piece kind of came at a different time. i knew i wanted a jacket but i would have no clue where to get a jacket. i mean, and if i did go buy a jacket i'd have to go to five or six different stores. and i'm not going to go to five or six different stores to look for a jacket. same thing with pants. if i wanted red pants. i don't know where to go for a pair. literally, where am i going to find a pair? >> reporter: but how would she do with my friend josh? i put her three easy steps to the challenge back in new york. one, go to a computer. >> hello. >> reporter: two, have a 12-minute that with a trunk club rep about what you wear and what you'd like to wear. >> what three words would she use to describe your personality? >> she'd probably say funny, --

>> reporter: take a few measurements. >> oh! >> reporter: best to have someone else do that. and three, sit back and wait for your clothes to come in. the trunk club does the rest. it takes about a week for the delivery. not individually wrapped, mind you, instead the clothes are packed in outfits for the guy who doesn't want to have to think. you try it on, you model around for the trunk club rep. and voila, your wardrobe. so what used to be the dreaded, drag your man to shop for clothes, is now drag your mouth to the truk club website and embrace your virtual fashion makeover. problem solved. well, almost. >> all right, two more very cool things about this company. everything you don't like you just return, no charge. and if you don't have a web cam, the trunk club sends you one for free. >> so cute. and so is josh. this costs a little more money.

>> but they're doing all the work for you. you have to do nothing. there's no thinking involved. >> what about what happens when things don't fit you? >> you return it and they send you more clothes a couple weeks later. and they get it until you're happy, and then you walk out of your place well-dressed, life is good. >> do they have one of those for women? >> they're thinking about it. i walked in, i said we obviously need one of these for women. >> thank you. now here's meredith. >> i love that, ann, thank you. let's swing it on down to washington, and check in with our good friend willard scott. hey, willard. >> good morning. it is always a pleasure to be a part of this magnificent show. especially to share my birthday salutes to you and all the folks out in tvland. all right, let's check as the jam jar spins around. spin that jar. somebody put a spin on it, neva buck, washington, north carolina. 103. lives independently and playing the piano for three different charges and sings hymns. how about that, him, him and hymn. there you go. orva gordon of marinette,

wisconsin. known as babe because she is a baby. enjoys watching lawrence welk. me, too. still on oklahoma public television. likes the reruns and keeps up with the news. which i'm sure, nbc. edith moeller-schragl. nevilled with, pennsylvania. 103. secret to longevity is laughter and music. takes no medicine, and refuses to go to bed before midnight. there you go. i knew i could say that. and we have major louis ebert. caramel valley, california. 100 years old. set up an armed forces school in kentucky and designed a seal that attributes longevity to wendy's cheeseburgers. probably has a little stock in the company. paulyne, had an aunt named pauline once, paulyne cleveland, loveland, colorado, 108.

took her first motorcycle ride when she was 106. wish her a very happy birthday. alverta allen. groesbeck, texas. 102. fantastic piano player. makes fabulous pies and very, very good with her friends. that's it, that't' >> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. the cult member who pleaded guilty to starving her child to death at the instruction of her leaders will not be serving any jail time. instead, ria ramkissoon will serve her sentence at a counseling program on a farm in northeast maryland. in march, she admitted to allowing her 1-year-old boy to starve to death after he broke call to rules by not saying amen at meals.

let's get a final check on the morning commute with sarah caldwell. >> still dealing with a few problems out there. the volume remains on the light side. as always incidents go, accident on the harrisburg expressway at want carmel. -- mount carmel. we still have an accident blocking all but about lanes here at phoenix. we exited at pasadena road with a flatbed truck. some delays there. 11 minutes on the west side outer loop. not too bad there. southbound 95 is a 10-minute drive from the beltway's southwest. the accident reported is not there but we have delays lingering at harford at outer loop. >> we are seeing clouds roll in

across the area. 77 downtown, 73 at b.w.i. marshall. pretty uneventful start. isolated thunderstorms possible. 85 to 88 is the temperature range. mid-80's as we wrap up the work week. >> another update in 25 minutes.

8:30 now on this wednesday morning, august 12th, 2009. we have got a couple of stars adding some bliss to the plaza. that is eric bana and rachel mcadams, stars of the new movie "the time traveler's wife." she'll join us in just a minute.

>> this movie, my daughter wants to see it, she's 16. i want to see it. it's so romantic. >> an author. >> coming up, actually, beyond them, as if that wasn't enough -- >> another sweet topic. we're going to be talking with martha stewart about what she should be doing and actually talking about planting them, picking them. they're ripe for picking this time of the year. basically what do you do with it when you get them? >> you eat them. >> i know, but -- >> great ideas that martha has. she's going to explore all that for us. >> very nice. and check out what's waiting for ann and meredith right now in our studio. >> oh. >> which one? >> oh, yeah. >> hey now. >> okay. i guess we know where meredith's going. anyway, we're going to meet that remarkable creature and the lion, as well. a man who spent six months in

africa living among the lions. >> also on friday we've got a big concert out here. we have flo rida. i love him. i love that song low. ♪ >> we are seeing mostly cloudy skies, 85 at 88. slight chance of an isolated thunderstorm. seven-day forecast breaking down as so. we wrap up the week with more

and that's your latest weather. >> coming up, martha stewart in the house, talking to us about what we should do with berries.

this morning on "mar today on today" it's all about berries. martha stewart has given us delicious desserts featuring strawberries, raspberries and blackberries from her "everyday food" magazine. >> good morning. >> is this the perfect time to be picking berries?

>> oh, my gosh my garden is full of berries. i think i have around 10,000 square feet of berries. currants, gooseberries, blackberries, raspberries. i've been picking blueberries every single day. they're full of antioxidants, vitamin "c," vitamin "e." they're very, very good for you. >> you're an expert. how do you know to get the sweetest ones? >> taste them at a farm stand. buy them from the farm stand, too. right now they're in season. they're beautiful view berries, wonderful raspberries. currants are almost over locally. pick them, taste one. nobody is going to scream at you. >> you've always taught me that bigger is better, that is not true. >> not necessarily. not necessarily. a strawberry, when you get a fresh strawberry you want to make sure that that is red through and through. >> oh. >> real red. really red. >> okay. >> and sweet. >> so let's get to stuff. >> there are things we can do with the berries. this blackberry puff. >> these are the little puffs that you can make out of

store-bought puff pastry. >> oh, okay. >> so you can buy the puff pastry. you have a sheet there. what you want to do is cut -- >> it's cold. >> it is cold. cut this in half lengthwise, okay and just use your rotary cutter from end to end. >> oh. >> you're doing great, meredith. >> my goodness. okay, here and if you have -- >> watch me. watch. there you. >> you didn't even use a ruler. >> no ruler, straight edge. not little miss perfect. good cook. practice. >> oh. >> okay. >> and then you cut these in half again this way. keep them chilled. put them on a parchment paper, okay. you can put one of those. yeah, that's good. put it here. bake it at 450 degrees. >> for how long? >> it just takes a few minutes. maybe 12 minutes. >> this turns into that? >> it certainly does. >> oh, my gosh. >> it's puff pastry.

>> did you cut yourself? >> oh, no -- i don't know what that is. >> i think you dipped into the berries. >> then you just gently -- >> you gently separate this into two puffs, okay? and then the bottom part -- >> that was easy. >> softened mascarpone cheese. this is from italy, from the longbury region. it is double or triple creme. it's rich. it's all triple creme. triple fat, my dear. but really -- >> and it's all natural. >> it is natural. >> it's natural. >> so you put that on. >> and then you put some of those beautiful blackberries, three cups of blackberries, squashed with about half a cup of sugar. >> is that enough or a little more? >> no, just like that. cover it over, serve it like that on it. >> oh, my gosh. and you can even put a little ice cream. >> okay. >> i'm on detox, i can't. >> i'm not on detox. >> oh, good. >> that's boring. detox. >> icing would be good with

this, but you've got another idea. >> this is a pound cake, like your own homemade ice cream cake. why go buy an ice cream cake that you don't know what's in it, really, when you have a beautiful pound cake you can make or buy. put it in a plastic-lined -- >> why do you do that? >> easier to extract. >> okay. >> and just sprinkle a few raspberries on the cake. then softened ice cream. and then you can then use homemade ice cream or good quality store-bought ice cream. >> and it can be whatever flavor you want, too. >> yes, and you put this right in here and it all squashes. >> come on, you're good at this. >> come on, meredith. >> you're a good cook. >> i want you to gain confidence. >> i want to go back with the lions. >> okay. >> so you put that. >> the lion? >> did i do okay? >> yes, that's perfect. >> you just want me out of here. >> then do it again. okay? >> so more ice cream and then

top it with, we're just rushing you. and then when you chill it. put it back in the freezer and look. look at the beautiful cake. >> that's beautiful. >> you used too much in the first layer. >> but we get the idea. >> like that. >> and you sprinkle -- >> and what did julia say? >> it's a good thing. >> no, you say it's a good thing. >> when it's out of sight you can sort of do that. >> and you can sprinkle some powder. >> yes. and slice it. >> strawberry tart. look at this. >> come on, meredith. >> your own little strawberry tart. >> what's underneath that? >> that is also like a very light cream, cream cheese. okay mixed with sugar. this is called a raspberry meringue. you can't have that, either? >> no. quite temping me. >> oh, my gosh, take that. >> little pieces of store-bought meringue crushed up with raspberries and whipped cheap. is that good? >> that's great. >> what's great about it -- is this washed? >> no you don't have to wash them. >> berries? >> no. >> if they come from the farm you don't have to wash them.

>> are they yours? >> no, these are not mine but they come from an organic farm. >> you do have to wash them when you get them in the store. >> wash them right when you're going to eat them. don't wash a whole bunch before because it gets all and crummy. >> right. >> they know a lot. >> i think you need a hug. >> it's okay. >> then up next, the stars of "the time traveler's wife."

tomorrow on "today" is brought to you by palm pre. thinking ahead. it's a beautiful thing. >> we're back now at 8:43 with the tale of love that transcends time. the new film "the time traveler's wife," based on the best-selling novel, stars rachel mcadams and eric bana.

and now take a look. >> will you marry me? >> no. i didn't mean that. i -- >> rachel and eric, good morning. >> that was a killer of a scene. i mean -- well, yeah, so -- >> joking. >> making a joke. but the point is that it really does stretch it and it makes it very romantic when you finally do say yes. and let's explain to people what this is about. because it really is about, i think, a lot of women and men may not have found their significant other think well maybe he or she was born at a different time. kind of almost talks about the timelessness of love, and this connection. you two, you were a big fan of rachel's before she was -- before you actually did the

movie. and you say that he was one of the most generous actors you've ever worked with. you created a nice dialogue. tell us about the movie. >> well, i mean, it's definitely a love story. it's about, you know, two people who meet under really extraordinary circumstances, and how they try to make that work over a lifetime. >> and, in fact, the first time we see you you're very young in the movie? >> yes. i meet him when i'm 6. and he already is married to me in the future. >> i get to travel back in time, and i get to each time i go back in time i always visit claire, as she's growing up. so it's also about how much you impart, how much you don't impart to the person. >> so that must have been very interesting for your character. because you're sort of trying to sort of play a guy who not only as you just described, trying to think what to impart but also is going through those changes themself. that must have been very interesting. >> that's right. there were a couple of moments

where rachel's character is actually more aware of what's occurring than i am. and i know that sounds quite confusing. but they're two guys who are madly in love and that's essentially the story that we're following. >> and they're teaching each other about each other, you know. because i have more insight about him and he has some about me. and we kind of, you know, give each other insight on what we're -- who we are and who we're going to become. >> and sometimes it got confusing. you got confused in terms of where we -- where you were because you had so much to master. is that right? >> yeah. i mean it was weird. the first time we met in our lives i think that being actors was actually good preparation for the part. because we're so used to shooting films out of sequence and doing things out of order, that was actually, worked really well for us in this movie because that's how it felt. >> oftentimes i think, i imagine -- but you really used your own parents' experience as a marriage to kind of help you model your character of claire. is that right? >> yeah. i mean, you know, we both, our parents are still together, and

you know, very, very much in love. so, you know, when i was asking myself, could this woman, you know, stay in this this long, i think, you know, because she is in love with him, and he's a choice that she's made, i mean i've seen my parents do that for, you know, 30-some odd years now. so i had a good example. >> yeah, i can see you get emotional even thinking about it. so what did you learn doing this part about the depth of love? about what is possible between people? did it teach you anything? does it teach us the viewers anything? >> people in movies have more patience. >> anybody else would have gotten divorced by then? >> right, yeah, exactly. no, i think it's that they persevere, and you know, they do. they choose each other at the end of the day. you know. >> i think that there's something about this message that's really important now. you know, i think when so many people across the world are having so many difficulties and so many pains, love is what you have to come back down to and

what you want to feel will always be there, even despite all of that. what do you want to say to that? >> no, i agree. at the core issue are two people who are just dying to be together and the time travel is the thing that wrenches them apart. so it's a great mechanism that the original author used in the book, and i think it's very powerful. >> how is it working with rachel, if you don't mind my asking? >> she can dash in. she's just fantastic. and i, you know, expected that. i heard great things about her and just loved her work and was one of the reasons that i wanted to do the film. she was 50 tached before i was. she was just the best to work with. >> one of the things that toughest i would think when you're suddenly cast together you don't know how it's going to be. but it's very clear from the clips i've seen that there was a real connection. you two really were able to transcend and be these parts. >> well, i mean, when i heard that eric was going to do it, that just made perfect sense to me, having read the book. you know, you have all these

ideas in your mind of these characters, but it just made perfect sense to me. like the light bulb went off. so i think, you know, that being right for the character was the beginning. but then he's just such a joy to work with, and you know, and so much fun. and you know, kept, you know, in the heavier moments kept everything light. and, you know, fun to come to work with him. >> we enjoy what we do. >> well, i think it's going to show on the film. i cannot wait to see it. my 16-year-old daughter cannot wait to see it. you've got us. congratulations. >> thank you. >> good luck with the movie. pleasure to speak to both of you, and "the time traveler's wife" opens on friday. and coming up next, that lion. what is it doing in our studio? and why is meredith so excited

we are back at 8:51. large predators expert dave salmoni traveled deep into the african bush to spend six months alone with lions facing elimination. his focus is in animal planet's "into the pride." it wasn't just pepper spray. it was a big cane. what do you have to keep in mind? you're with this pride of lions.

and they're not friendly. they're aggressive. all you've got is a crook and pepper spray. >> they're the most aggressive lions i've ever worked with. that crook is something i learned when i first started working with these animals. i learned how to defend myself with that. >> why does that work, though? it's just a stick. >> what it does do initially makes you look really, really big. when i wave that around, when i get charged, stand my ground, start to sound aggressive, i change all the behavior and to a lion he's watching everything i do. that says oh, he's getting aggressive. gives the same warning signs like what we would recognize when they're whipping their tail and growling. makes you look way, way bigger. and when it gets to a point of physical contact, there's a number of things i can do with that crook. >> when i first heard about you doing this, dave, i thought you were crazy. >> i think the jury's still out with that. >> but you are, a zoologist, you have training, and so -- but you wanted to use this training for this purpose why? what was the reason? >> the purpose of this show, basically these lions were all lions at a national park.

and a gentleman who owns this park took them all in and said listen, i can save these guys. basically give them a better home. so once he brought them in, they still remained super aggressive. so now they were threatening the lives of his staff and those around him. there would be no one else to take these aggressive lions. he called me up and said i need these lions to learn to trust people. >> otherwise they might have to be put down. >> they were definitely, definitely going to kill somebody. not you. put this on your lap. >> on that note we're going to give her -- >> this one is well used to people. i'm going to watch it. if she starts to get bitey. she's got claws but she won't hurt you. >> how do you know when she's bitey. >> her body posture will change. >> grab that bottle there. tip it up so she doesn't have any air. >> let me ask you about brutus, who was the male in the ride. he was fine with you until you got off that bike of yours. right? and then it got very dicey. >> the male is where i always start. they're the ones in charge of protection. they're the ones that will tell the rest of the pride, this

guy's okay or this guy isn't okay. so at first it was a lot of, you know, dealing with him. but i actually became friends with him very quickly. you see the footage where he starts to be aggressive with me there. he was like that when he was around the cubs and the girls. what would happen is, he'd be asleep and everything would be fine. when the girls would get nervous because i was close to the cubs -- >> he would respond. >> girls would be like, hey, go get that guy. like a good soldier he'd wake up and come straight forward. >> one of the cubs, right, where he gets a little curious and dave almost dies? >> yeah. and we realized very early on in this project that those moms were so protective of those cubs. more so than normal wild lions. and the closer i would get to the cubs, the most life threatening was for me. shizle not knowing that was like, hey, i'm cool with you. he was learning from my behavior that i was a nice normal guy, so he'd get more and more curious. which is great. but moms would get super protective. >> it's been quite a few months since you came back. how are they doing?

>> they're doing very well. the project a huge success. these lions were saved from destruction. they're happy, healthy lions. >> that's fantastic. >> what do you do to calm them? there was a real risk -- >> training in the gym every single day. my training program is based on what do i do if i get attacked? and it's also, i spent a lot of time as a captive trainer. i've been in situations where i've had to defend myself. and once you know you can plan for the worst-case scenario. i had a paramedic. i had a plan for if these lions attacked me. can you go out and do that stuff. >> dave, thank you so much. you did a great job. shepherd was the lion. "into the wild" premieres tonight. >> live, local, latebreaking.

this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. another disturbing case of animal abuse putting eight puppies on the brink of death has literally been uncovered. officials of barcs say that someone left a closed plastic box containing the 8-week-old puppy is an from a dumpster in sweltering temperatures. fort chilly, passer-by heard the puppies cry. the body temperatures from being trapped in the box were as high as 107 degrees. >> that is suffering. you are causing heat stroke, causing the animals to sit there and suffer. that is not the answer. they starve to death. >> fortunately, all of the puppies are responding well to treatment and are heading to a rescue group.

>> let's take a look of the

forecast with sandra shaw. >> we will be where we should be for august 12, 86 or 87 degrees. mostly cloudy skies thanks to an upper level low over west virginia. slight chance of an isolated thunderstorm or two this afternoon. 87 on the shores of ocean city. generally a lot of consistency in the seven-day forecast. partly cloudy on thursday and friday. mid-80's, 85 tomorrow. slight chance of a thunderstorm. mid-80's for the week ended better chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. >> we will have another update at 9:25.