we're now back with more of "today" on this thursday morning, 10th day of september, 2009. just stop and take a gander at the nice people who have gathered all morning long out on the plaza this morning. we thank them for stopping by. we're thankful for them. by the way, we're going to meet a family in this half hour with a lot to be thankful for. it happened last sunday afternoon. a car came crashing through the wall of their home. it ended up in their baby's bedroom. 8-month-old christopher's crib was stuck under the car. 20-month-old destiny, 21-month-old destiny, had been taken out of the crib just moments before. well, the whole family is here this morning. we're going to find out how they survived that nightmare accident.

>> thank goodness, they all look good and happy and healthy. >> wow! unbelievable. and a little bit later on, you guys ever try those energy drinks? >> yeah. >> once in a while. >> do you feel energized? >> no. >> one of the different ways you can catch the swine flu. a lot of claims out there. well, we are going to find out -- separate the myths from truth and how those can impact your health. dr. nancy snyderman is here to set the record straight. all right. then you've all heard the news this morning, ellen is the new paula. >> i thought you were going to say the new president. >> not quite. not quite that. but that's right. when "american idol" kicks off its new season, season nine, ellen degeneres will be the next judge sitting next to simon, randy and kara. but is the match made in hollywood a match made in heaven? we'll find out what some people have to say. >> you've already given it your approval. >> i love it. i'm a huge fan. i think she's going to be great. >> i don't watch the show but i know she'd be fantastic. >> she's got your full support. >> i love her!

let's go inside. ann's standing by with the headlines. >> thanks a lot, matt. good morning once again, everybody. in the news, president obama is pressing ahead with health care reform. in his address to congress last night, he asked on lawmakers to stop bickering and act and despite the $900 billion price tag the bill would not add to the deficit. meantime, south carolina republican joe wilson has apologized for his outburst during the speech when he yelled "you lie!" a bolivian man is in custody in mexico city after police say he briefly hijacked a plane flying from cancun and claimed he had a bomb. he was arrested after police stormed the plane. the man later said he wanted to warn mexico's president about an impending earthquake. congress holds more hearings focusing on the securities and exchange commission today trying to find out why it did not know about bernie madoff's massive fraud scheme for more than ten years. scientists are stunned by new images taken by the hubble space telescope.

they show galaxies and nebulas revealing sharp colors and brilliant halos of light. and they credit the hubble's new sight to snarts from atlant lat. among them, the boss, bruce springsteen. also, robert deniro. and mel brooks. the awards will be given in december. and rescue crews in australia today use high-technical ras to locate a dog trapped deep inside a cave for four days. there he is. scooby's family and friends cheered. there they go, when they finally got him out, and apparently there was a lot of tail wagging going on. we'll see that apparently eventually or maybe not at all. it is ten minutes past the hour. let's go back outside to matt. >> we love happy endings, ann. thank you very much. mr. roker's got a check of the weather. >> that's right, we do. you know, it's been a long time

since we've had a good pair of lederhosen on the plaza. what's your name? >> maximilian. >> you're from germany. >> sure. >> is there chafing that goes on with that? >> traditional. >> you wear those every day, do you? >> no, not every day. >> wow! that's like a suede wedjie right there. let's check your weather. if it's suede, it's got to be smooth. coastal storm this evening. low pressure slowly making its way up the coast being stopped by this big area of high pressure. gales ever to 40-mile-per-hour winds. dangerous rip currents. you see the showers pinwheeling around that low. and before it's all over by sometime saturday morning, we are talking about up to five inches of rain from baltimore down to salisbury, maryland. >> plenty of clouds. a storm continues offshore, pushing whether our way. limited rainfall activity becoming more intense this

that's your latest weather. natalie? >> al, thank you. now to an amazing story of survival on a quiet cul-de-sac in new mexico. two young children escaping with their lives after a car crashed into their bedroom. we're going to talk exclusively with the family in just a moment. but first, take a look how this incredible story unfolded. >> reporter: from the looks of it, it's hard to believe anyone could survive this, especially because inside, 8-month-old christopher lopez was taking a nap in his crib in a room he shares with his 2-year-old sister, destiny. >> my daughter was in there, took her out maybe ten minutes before the accident. she just woke up from a nap.

>> reporter: the car landed on the crib that destiny had just been sleeping in. but 8-month-old christopher was still in his crib. >> i got the door open, and my son was stuck underneath the car under all kinds of wood. and i yanked him out of the room. and then checked him out and then came to check on the driver because she was unconscious in the car still. >> reporter: the driver was taken to the hospital and later released and questioned by police. amazingly, christopher escaped with only minor scrapes, something neighbors and christopher's parents call a miracle. >> there's a cross on the wall. that tells you everything right there. >> i know it was god. it was god who saved him. i thank god. i'm just so happy that he's alive. >> james lopez and claudia are here with their 8-month-old son, christopher, and 21-month-old daughter, destiny. good morning. so great to have you guys all here. and good to see you all doing so well, although he's a little unhappy with us this morning because it's too early, right? >> yeah, it'll tired, yep. >> james, take me back to this.

this was last sunday afternoon. you hear this loud boom in your house. take me through that moment. what was going through your mind? >> well, as soon as i heard the loud boom, i got thrown across the living room. so i knew somebody had driven through my child's bedroom. >> you knew right away what had happened? >> i knew exactly because of the way the parking lot is that's behind our house. so i jumped off the ground, and i ran towards the room. and at that time my fiancee was trying to get into the door -- into the room to check on my son. and she couldn't -- >> she couldn't open the door. >> no, she couldn't open it, so i had to ram it until i could get in because the car was blocking it. i opened it -- >> what did you see when you opened it? >> a car halfway in my living room and in the bedroom. everything was -- >> poor baby. >> -- destroyed. >> and he was pinned under the car? >> yes, ma'am. >> tell me what you saw of your son. >> all i saw was his head and

his arm sticking out from underneath the car stuck in between wood and glass. >> oh, my gosh. >> and everything like that. >> your heart must have been racing. at that moment -- >> i was devastated, yeah. >> at that moment did you think there was a chance your son wasn't alive? >> well, he didn't cry, so i was thinking the worst. >> oh. >> and i was terrified to open that door. as soon as i seen that he was conscious when i opened the door, i just took a deep breath and i pulled him out of the room. >> aww. >> we checked him and i took off running outside of the house because she had taken out our furnace, and the gas line broke. >> so you had the natural gas going, too, on top of this. so you were not only concerned about saving your son's life, but then you're also concerned that there could be an explosion. >> yes. >> and claudia, i know that it's so hard for you to talk about reliving that moment again, but when you went into the bedroom and you saw your son in that condition, how freaked out were you as a parent? >> i was in the next bedroom, when it went boom, i went straight to the living room

because i saw it was outside. and i saw the car. the car was in the living room. so i knew right away that it was in his room. so i ran to the door and i tried to get it open. it wouldn't open. he opened it. i seen, as he was pulling him out of the crack of the door, i see this body. i seen that he was okay. >> was he crying at that point? was he awake? >> i thought he was -- i honestly thought he was dead. he did not cry. until he got him out. and he made one little sound. that's when i knew, you know, he was alive. >> and meanwhile, destiny had been sleeping in the crib that got completely crushed. you had woken her up from her nap just ten minutes before this. >> yes, we did. and thank god that we got her out. she would have been there, and she wouldn't be here with us now. we're just grateful that we were able to get her out as well and

that he's alive today. >> and i know that there's a cross that i saw in that piece that is still hanging on the wall unbelievably there where your children were sleeping. do you think this was a miracle, james? >> i believe god has a lot to do with why they're still here. i do. >> we are so glad. i'm sorry, kids. i know it's too early and it's naptime for some of us. >> yeah. yep. >> we are so grateful that you're all doing so well. are you thinking to rebuild your house? do you know what you're going to do yet? >> well, we were renting it so the landlord is doing the insurance. we're going to move into another place as soon as possible. our landlords are really great. so they're going to move us in as soon as they can. >> well, it's so great to see you all doing well. we're grateful to have you guys. christopher, i'm so sorry. i'm so sorry, sweetheart. morning television is never easy. thank you. >> thank you. thank you. still to come this morning, the truth behind infomercials and the products that really

deliver. we're going to tell you more. but up next, medical myths busted. can you really catch the swine flu from a water fountain? we'll have some of the answers coming up after this. my husband, robert, robert made me come. he dragged me up here. i'm scared. i don't want to take my feet off the platform. hey, this isn't bad! you look down and you're like, ooh that's a lot farther than i thought it was going to be. well that wasn't bad at all, that was fun. it's not ready yet. (announcer) every smucker learns to wait for fruit to reach the peak of perfection to make extra delicious jam. the reason that i picked alli was because its approved by the fda, it was safe. it will block 25% of the fat that you eat

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on fridays, i have hockey before school, so i take two eggo homestyle waffles and put peanut butter inside. i add a couple chocolate chips when dad's starting the car. there's only one way to eat an eggo -- your way. l'eggo my eggo. of pillsbury cinnamon rolls bring everyone to the table in their sunday best and checked for clogged pipes. if that's not it, we dig by the septic tank and check for leaks. if it's not there, we dig up the leech fields 'til we find the problem. average repair cost: six thousand dollars. monthly maintenance with rid-x? about 6 dollars. (announcer) rid-x uses 100% natural bacteria and enzymes to break down waste, even paper. use rid-x monthly to help keep your septic system operating efficiently between pumpings.

this summer, clean your grill with new easy-off barbeque grill cleaner. this morning on "today's health," we get the truth behind all those warnings your mother may have delivered. does reading in the dark really hurt your eyes? can staying in school help you live longer? well, nbc's chief medical editor, dr. nancy snyderman, wrote a book called "medical myths that can kill you and the 101 truths that will save, ebs tend and improve your life." nancy, good morning. >> hi, ann. >> these are ideas, the five we're going to address today, are ones that i want to know the truth so. and i think a lot of our viewers will as well. for example, especially now in this time we're facing the swine flu, can you get it from the

water and water fountain? >> no, you cannot get it from the water. i think people have to really listen carefully to this. we know that this is a respiratory virus. all flu viruses are. you get it because you inhale it or you take a hand that's been contaminated and you touch your face. you can't get it from drinking. this is not like cholera. so if you're going to drink water out of the water fountain, you drink the water that's in the air. you don't put your mouth on the nozzle. i know there are a lot of moms right now who aren't letting their kids go near water fountains. the way you would get a flu virus from a water fountain is if you touch something that's been dirty and then you put that dirty hand to your face. but water is not a way of transmission. >> so it comes back down to washing your hands. the hpv vaccine is only for girls. i thought it was. >> it has been for girls but yesterday the food and drug administration heard, one of their advisory council say, that not only will there probably be a second vaccine on the market for girls, one on the market

right now is from merck, glaxo smith kline may have one, but get ready for the fact that boys ages 9 to 26 may also have this recommendation. why? well, it makes sense. this is a sexually transmitted virus that causes cancer of the cervix. how do girls get the virus? they get it from having sex with boys. so if you inoculate boys and girls before they become sexually active, and that's very important. this is not a pro-sex vaccine, it's an anticancer vaccine, i think you're going to see soon recommendations for girls and boys in their teen years to prevent them from getting the virus when they become sexually active later in life. >> so the question is whether boys will take the vaccine to help girls. that's an interesting point. and also, i like this one, reading in dim light will hurt your eyesight. >> because we heard it from our others. this is also another myth. it causes eye strain. it may give you headaches but it doesn't change your vision at all. your vision changes primarily

because as we age, the elasticity of the eyeball changes, and sometimes people are just born with poor vision. but reading in dim light really does not affect how well your eyes work. >> i know a lot of people in my family drink energy drinks. >> i know. and they're hogwash. >> what? >> they're hogwash. >> so energy drinks do not give you energy? >> they give you caffeine. so my 23-year-old the other day, i found six of these little six-hour, eight-hour energy boosts. and then she has insomnia and she wonders why. she might as well have a couple espressos before going to bed. it's a big caffeine hit. what do you need for real energy? you need calories. calories are converted to energy in the body. so even that little bit of sugar that you might get in some of them, it's not enough to sustain you. it might make you fat over time, but really, you're getting a caffeine boost. so if you are, in fact, your heart's racing, you can't sleep, you're wondering why you have insomnia, you might look at how many of those little energy shots you're picking up at the local store and popping down in the afternoon. >> instead maybe have a banana?

>> any carbohydrates especially with fruits will give you good sugar and good energy. >> okay. and number five. people with just a high school education live longer than those who go on to college. >> big myth. education trumps race, socioeconomic status, wealth, you name it. the longer you stay in school, the longer you have a chance to live. because with an education, you learn how to read. you learn how to access the health care system. you learn how to stand up to your doctors and nurses. so education, by far, trumps every other risk factor. stay in school. >> every other risk factor? >> every other risk factor. >> write down. >> remember, education trumps race. for putting you in harm's way. get your education. >> dr. nancy snyderman, thank you so much. yes, ma'am. and coming up next, she's the new "american idol" judge. we'll give you the scoop on ellen right after this. ♪ there's a reason

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we know she can dance, but can she judge? ellen degeneres announced on her show yesterday that she'll join the "american idol" judges panel for season nine, yes, filling the seat vacated by paula abdul. ellen says she's always been a fan of the show and that getting this job is a dream come true. >> i just finally got the okay just moments ago to announce this to you today. oh, god! i am going to be the new judge on "american idol." >> reporter: with cheers from her studio audience and a hug from her resident deejay, tony, ellen degeneres first broke the news wednesday during a taping of her daytime talk show that viewers will see today. >> i have not missed one episode of that show. i've watched every single thing. i love everything about it. from "american idol," please welcome randy jackson. paula abdul. simon cowell. kara dioguardi. >> reporter: over the past few years ellen has talked to all the show's judges. >> it premieres tonight which is so, so great for a lot of us that have just been waiting.

we just wait for january. >> reporter: now ellen is officially one of them, replacing paula abdul. >> it's not the obvious choice, but i do think it actually could work. ellen degeneres has all of the charm and sweetness of paula abdul but without the loopiness. >> oh, my god, i thought you sang twice. >> reporter: paula made headlines this summer over a contract dispute reportedly demanding $10 million a year to stay on the show. demands that were not met, paving the way for ellen to join the judges' table. >> watching "idol gives back." >> reporter: this won't be ellen's first time on "idol." she has appeared twice on "idol gives back," a special charity show benefiting various causes. and just this summer she guest hosted on another fox reality show, "so you think you can dance," even dancing with some of the contestants on her own show. but one thing that critics may point to is ellen's lack of music industry experience. something that all previous "idol" judges have had and something ellen herself addresses on her show today.

>> i'm not looking at it in a critical way from the music producer's mind. i'm looking at it as a person who's going to buy the music and who's going to relate to that person. so i'm hopefully going to be that voice of what we're all doing at home. >> not to worry, by the way, for fans of the "ellen show," she's going to continue to do both jobs at the same time. >> i think she's punking us. >> no, it's the real deal. why would she do that? >> i think at the last minute. >> why would she do that? >> because we're talking about it, that's why. >> it's been confirmed. >> oh, please. >> by all sources. >> oh, please. >> she's going to be great. >> we'll see. local news is next.

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if a proposed slots palace in anne arundel county faces a few obstacles before it can open its doors. the zoning commission has not approved the use of the land. the company presented members of the slots commission with their plan for the palace near arundel mills all the what will 4700 machines. before counts can be broken, the anne arundel county commission has to obtain zoning. >> there is concern that the county council has not moved forward and is looking to us to make decisions prior to that. that is not the way the process was intended. >> the slots commission still has to complete its due diligence. there is no word on when and if a vote on the amount of mills site might take place. now for the to the forecast with john collins. >> the storm continues to spin off shore.

we have a flow of air coming off of the ocean. decent chances for rain. winds will pick up today, causing unusually high tides. here is the forecast for today. plenty of clout, cool temperatures. drizzle of rain, especially at the end of the day. parties wins around 20 per hour. >> another update for you at 9:55.

♪ everyone calls you amazing ♪ i just call you mine ♪ nothing makes sense when you're not here ♪ country music superstar martina mcbride. we're all used to seeing her as a performer, but she's a mom of three first. and she wants you to spend some quality time with your kids. she's going to be here to tell us why a little bit later. love her voice. >> she's amazing. on a different note, have either of you ever ordered stuff you've seen on those infomercials? >> i'm a sucker for those infomercials. >> what did you order? >> you know, i've ordered i think in the past like a knife set. you know. >> the ginsu knife.

>> it cuts through a tin can. >> i know. although i've been tempted by the chia pets. >> oh. i've got a showtime rotisserie oven. it works great. but we've got a reason for asking that. >> that's right. because if you like to shop straight off your tv like a lot of people, well, the good folks at "good housekeeping" magazine have done the research to find out what products really do what they promise to do. we'll have the results of their "good housekeeping" test in a little bit. also coming up, you know, a lot of parents are going through a lot of emotions sending their kids off to school. so we've got an idea this morning that might make you feel better. maybe you can think about yourself beginning anew and fun things you may want to bring to work including perhaps origami post-its. anyway, ideas that might make you smile. we'll have those coming up. >> maybe i could get a transformers backpack. >> a new lunch box. pasta. all you need is 30 minutes or less.

you will have yourself a pasta feast in less than a half hour. >> i like that he tries to make it so that we don't spend a lot of time. because a lot of people don't have time. although on the weekends, we can have that time. >> that's right. >> but on weekdays it's busy. meanwhile, also ahead, an intimate talk with hoda and kathie lee, the bra whisperer will stop by from nursing to sports bras, if you've got a problem, she's got the answer for you. >> what? all right. you've got a check of the weather for us, al. >> meantime, i'm embarrassed for them. but anyway, go ahead. what about the weather? they look beautiful. >> they do. they really do. >> it's just that they're in their bras on national television. >> so am i but that's another story. let's take a look, show you what's going on for the weekend, we've got -- i'm wearing the bro. sunny skies, hot weather in the western half of the country. we've got wet weather also through -- poor ann. she's just completely mortified. it's okay. >> i'm such an old woman. >> it's all right.

>> okay. >> clouds and temperatures in the 60's this morning. rain chances are expected to increase later today. that is what the forecast is all about. that's your latest weather. play the music because football's back, baby! that's right! it's an nbc football special. oh, man, this is a big one. we've got a kickoff special for you. it's the tennessee titans taking on the pittsburgh steelers in pittsburgh at heinz stadium. cloudy skies, temperatures in

the 60s with light winds. it's a barn burner, baby, tonight on nbc starting at 8:00 p.m. be there! yeah! ann. >> where do you get that voice? >> your spittal. >> and i was looking straight ahead. that's one magic lougie. coming up next, the infomercial products that are worth the money right after this. hey mom. i just got your package. great. yea, mom you're the best. i thought you would like it. so, how are your classes, are you enjoying them? (announcer) it's more than just that great peanut taste, choosing jif is a simple way to show someone how much you care. we can't wait to get you home. i love you mom. i love you too. we'll see you soon. choosey moms, choose jif.

to buy raisin bran extra! i'm surprised nobody else is here for the big debut of the almonds. oh, guys, i can see it! they're setting it up right now! is it true? are there really going to be cranberries? yep, i can see the boxes, and there's definitely yogurty clusters in there too! i think this is a 24-hour store. introducing kellogg's® raisin bran extra! with cranberries, almonds and yogurty clusters, it's raisin bran with so much extra. ♪ raisin bran extra! it's a mouthful of awesome! [ announcer ] you make healthy choices every day-- it's raisin bran with so much oh, max! and you want to do the same for your laughable, lovable dog. [ barks ] that's why purina fit & trim is specially formulated... with high-quality protein, including delicious real chicken, to help him maintain lean muscle and a healthy weight,

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this morning on "today's consumer," infomercials. what to buy and what to skip. yes, it's easy to be sucked in by the snuggie or other products like these. you know, because they have those impressive demonstrations and fast-talking pitchmen on late-night tv. but do the products really live up to their claims? for the october issue of "good

housekeeping" magazine, the good housekeeping research institute tested 17 infomercial products. and the results are in. editor in chief rosemary ellis is here to reveal them. rosemary, good morning. >> good morning. >> the good housekeeping research institute, let's talk about how the ratings were given. five being the highest. >> five stars are the highest. >> how are the products tested? >> we did both lab testing and real-people testing to see if things were comfortable, if they really worked. we did taste testing with anything that involved food. so sort of an every way that we can test it, we test it. as you might imagine -- >> scientists and regular people testing it. >> scientists and regular people. you know, a lot of disappointments. >> this time around no five stars. >> no five stars. >> no good housekeeping seal of approval. the results, first starting off with a pasta and more product. this product costs $19.99 plus $8.99 for shipping. the pitch claims cooks perfect al dente pasta in your microwave every time. this one did fairly well. four out of five stars. >> right, four out of five stars.

all you do is pour water into this pot. and you pour the pasta in. and you stick it in the microwave. and -- >> the pasta goes right in there. >> you mix it all in. you don't have to stir or do anything. you don't even cook it with the lid on it. goes in the microwave. takes a little less time to cook that on a stove top. when it comes out, you snap the lid on, you have this colander. it's an all-in-one dish. it's easy. >> is it al dente? >> firm is al dente. a couple of our taste testers preferred this. >> four out of five. not a bad deal. i'm wearing the snuggie. as you can see, i'm having a little trouble walking over here. as you know, this infomercial caught on like wildfire. it's $19.95, a blanket with arms and everything else. plus $7.95 for shipping.

the pitch is it's the blanket with sleeves. it received three out of five stars. what was the deal here? >> it is a blanket with sleeves. >> there's no question. >> even the men as well as women complained the sleeves were way too long. >> do they? >> when we washed it, we found it didn't shrink because it's synthetic fabric. the fan rick on the models we tested was not high quality. so it pills. >> so over time it's going to wear out. >> it will pill and it doesn't feel that good. the other problem people noted is they couldn't find it up and put it neatly over the arm of their sofa like they could a pretty throw. but it did keep them warm. >> ann from the director of marketing at all-star products the maker released this statement. we appreciate good housekeeping reviewing our snuggie blanket with sleeves and are happy to hear that the testers enjoyed wearing them. to explain the sleeve length, we design our snuggie product similar to that of a blanket. we want people to be fully covered and cozy, hence the oversized fit.

we have widened our products including a microplush fabric snuggie, that are all created with quality material that stand up. so it sounds like near trying to improve on the product. i can get rid of my snuggie now, right? how about the bender ball? this is a workout ball. it costs between $9.99 to $12.98 plus shipping. its pitch says it gives you a five -- gives you a workout that's up to 408% more effective than ordinary crunches. but you gave it only 2 1/2 stars out of 5. why is that? >> the words "up to" are very important in this claim. when we researched their study, they had done one study with a pie measly ten people. but in general, both the real-life testers and fitness experts who analyzed this said you're just as well off being on a mat and doing crunches or maybe using a towel rolled up behind you. plus the really sneaky thing about this that we didn't like at all is that when you buy it, you unwittingly sign up for a program that sends you a fitness videotape. >> workouts. >> every other month.

$47 a pop. >> so you have to call to cancel it. >> yeah. you don't know where it's coming from. you have to cancel it. it's a big hassle. not our idea of a good product. >> quickly because i know this is a popular product that everybody talks about, the shamwow, probably one of the most impressive infomercial commercials because they say it can hold 12 times its weight in liquid. this was given 3 1/2 stars. >> it actually held 13 times its weight when we first tested it. as you wash it, it loses ab zoshency. we found on a hard surface, you put it down, you press it in or pound it in. when it's on a hard surface, use it dry. when it's on a soft surface like carpet, then use it wet. and you can -- well, i don't know, it's so absorbent. >> we contacted the makers and they didn't have any comment for us. thank you very much. get more information on todayshow.com. next, why let the kids have

all the fun? back-to-school supplies for you even if you're not heading back to school. but first, these messages. but now i trust my heart to lipitor. when diet and exercise are not enough, adding lipitor may help. unlike some other cholesterol lowering medications, lipitor is fda approved to reduce the risk... of heart attack, stroke, and certain kinds of heart surgeries... if you have several common risk factors... or heart disease. lipitor has been extensively studied... with over 16 years of research. lipitor is not for everyone, including people with liver problems... and women who are nursing, pregnant, or may become pregnant. you need simple blood tests to check for liver problems. tell your doctor if you are taking other medications, or if you have any muscle pain or weakness. this may be a sign of a rare but serious side effect. i learned the hard way. but you may be able to do something. have a heart to heart with your doctor... about your risk. and about lipitor.

thanks. i did it to let the judges know that my dog is the right choice. i got the idea from general mills big g cereals. they put a white check on the top of every box to let people know that their cereals have healthy whole grain, and they're the right choice... just like buttercup. (announcer) general mills is the only leading cereal company to put healthy whole grain in every box. the choice has never been easier. for whole grain guaranteed, just look for the white check.

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well, the children are heading back to school, but why should they have all the fun getting the new supplies? well, danielle of the trend alert website called daily candy has come up with some items that maybe some adults might enjoy stocking up on. danielle, good morning. >> good morning, ann. how are you? >> so you want to give us all the attention because we're feeling kind of many. opey about this? >> remember you had that nervousne nervousness, that anticipation? we wanted to help adults channel that. i figured even if we're going back to the same old job, even if we get to work at the "today" show or daily candy, why not simplify your life? make it more convenient so that nostalgic feeling can make your life easier. >> so with an idea -- >> and inexpensively. >> we're in this economy, we've got to be careful about not going off the deep end. you thought about these, little totes. >> trade in that boring old briefcase. put a spring in your step with a tote from nan keen.

this is a great product. it's $48. and you can put everything but the kitchen sink in that. >> these are, like, little wallets? >> this is a business card case. even if it's your mom calling card for a play date or to hold your regular old business cards. >> they're pretty. >> they are made by survivors and it's made by survivors.com. these are projects that give social well-being and skills to survivors of human tragedy and some really terrible stuff. >> that makes you feel good. do something that helps people. >> $10. >> $10? good. >> good taste and a big heart. i have to start pouring this, if you'll excuse me. this is sort of what we call the mood computer. it's going to take a moment. so we can keep talking. it starts -- it's from momastore.org. it's very designee. it says off. if you say i wish my boss could have this every day, when it's off, do not approach. do not approach. you can see it changing now. once it says "on," you know they have a hot cup of coffee or tea. i think -- >> i need one of those. can i put it on the news desk?

so i'm not really ready to give the news until i have that change colors? >> this is all they need. exactly. >> i love that. >> now it's on. okay. >> i love that. >> you know how annoying sticky notes can be? >> yes. >> if i get a message on a sticky noted, i'm, like, what do you people want from me? this is the way you do it. printed on each of these from delight.com is instructions for an origami project. so unless the note says "fire me" or "you're fired," you're going to be just fine. >> well, you might get fired if you spend too much time doing this at your desk. >> use your good judgment. >> exactly. >> for $4, this is a neat way to make the medium a little more interesting. and the message will be great, too. >> now, what's this? >> if you were that kid at school who volunteered to clean the erasers and the chalk boards, this is for you. whether for your home or office, this makes a good grocery list or on the side of your cub keel. >> you make it yourself? >> it's a chalk board decal. >> look at that. >> look at this. >> look at that. you can put that on your wall if

you want even. anywhere. >> exactly. just stick it anywhere. >> that's adorable. i'm grooving on it. we only have a minute left. quickly. >> pencils, and an organized desk. $8 really cool pencil holders. but this pencil project, 500 pencils. they come in colors like mermaid tail and pumpkin pudding. and they're just really arty. and it's a sort of pencil of the month subscription. >> are you suggesting we buy ourselves some new underwear? is that what you're doing? >> that's what back to school is all about, fresh underwear. these are drawers that are do-gooders. they are from pact, wearpact.com. the patterns correspond to a cause. so these, the proceeds help save oceans. these benefit literacy projects. >> i like the way you think. good job. good job. and just enough time for this one. >> i knew you'd love this. it's whiskey-scented shaving gel. >> for men or women? >> you know, it's designed for men, but we found that the women at daily candy found it really

compelling and really intoxicating, so to speak. >> it smells like whiskey. >> but really cool, right? you know, shaving your legs or, you know, your husband can share it. and no matter how frantic your morning, you're off to a smoother start. >> danielle, thank you so much. you're always so much fun. >> thank you. still to come this morning, quick pasta dinners that will help you twirl your fork over and over again. but first, this is "today" on nbc. ♪ ( slurping ) ♪ ( slurping ) ♪ ( slurping ) ( child giggling ) ( both slurping ) ( laughs ) ( giggles ) why just make a snack? make fun. jell-o.

this morning on "today's kitchen," hot chef and award winning teacher julian is here to prepare a dish from his new book, "thirty-minute pasta." i love the book. it looks fantastic. >> this is an incredible one. >> i love this. >> this comes from the name of the pizza. and so it tastes and has the same ingredients as the pizza. tomatoes, oregano and

mozzarella. >> fresh tomatoes. >> fresh tomatoes sauteing in olive oil. >> could you cheat and use canned? >> well, you could if you don't really have any fresh tomatoes. but the fresh tomatoes give it a nice fresh flavor. >> i'll turn this down just a little bit. >> oh, that's a good idea. >> and peeling tomatoes. how hard? >> this is ready so i'm going to pull it out here. i'm going to peel the tomatoes with a peeler instead of putting them in boiling water. >> right. >> and i'm going to show you it's really easy. you just go back and forth with a peeler like this. then it just takes the skin off very easily. even faster than doing it with boiling water method. >> while you're doing this you're boiling your pasta so it will be ready as you're cooking. >> that's right. all the recipes in this book can be made in the time it takes to boil the water and cook the pasta. >> that's amazing. you've got olive oil, you're sauteing your tomatoes. >> you're just giving them a little flavor. you see we're not turning them into a sauce. they're done here. >> that's it? >> that's it. >> you literally poured those

into the pan just before we started. >> two minutes. yes. okay. put it here. >> okay. >> and then i'm going to put the pasta in. and then the other two ingredients, the oregano. this is fresh oregano. sort of medium chopped. put that on there. give this a little bit of a toss. you can put the mozzarella in. >> okay. >> and then what we do is you cook the pasta so it's very al dente meaning it's kind of hard. you cover it. >> uh-huh. >> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i'm jennifer franciotti. 14 face destruction of property charges after they walked away with a monument honoring top of bein -- during cal ripken, jr.

the money and has been returned to the orioles but it is not clear when it will be -- the monument has been returned to the orioles but it is not clear when it will be installed. a crime fighting tool was successfully pushed by the governor last year and has acquired 718 samples since last year. it is responsible for putting four violent offenders behind bars who would otherwise be blocking the streets. the state has uploaded more than 80,000 a dna samples into a national database. back in a minute

>> kind of a gloomy day on tap. let's check in with john collins. >> that bloom is being reinforced by the storm off shore. strong winds coming from the east into the west. lots of moisture and clouds and " temperatures. -- cool temperatures. there will be unusually high tides along the western shore of the bay. maybe some minor title flooding. here is elected to statewide forecast. the rubble of the eastern shore would not be out of the question. temperatures really only near 70's for the high. >> we will see you back here for 11 news and in.

-- 11 news at noon. ♪ there's the other stuff. ♪ and then there's kraft macaroni & cheese. ♪ kraft has more cheese than those other guys. no wonder they call it the cheesiest!