good morning. breaking news. a 24-year-old lab tech nation at yale university taken into custody for dna testing. his apartment searched. as investigators try to piece together that brutal on-campus murder of a promising young graduate student. this morning new details on just how annie le died. racist nation? former president jimmy carter tells nbc news that he thinks a growing backlash to president obama is driven by racism. >> an overwhelming portion of the intensely demonstrated animosity toward president barack obama is based on the fact that he is a black man. >> this morning, the heated debate started by that comment. and thanks, but no thanks. a baseball fan catches a foul ball and hands it off to his

daughter. she promptly throws it back. and now all they have is a great story to tell about the one that got away today, wednesday, september 16th, 2009. captions paid for by nbc-universal television and good morning. welcome to "today" on a wednesday morning. i'm matt lauer. >> and i'm meredith vieira. eight days after annie le was last seen alive, police in connecticut have now interviewed and taken hair samples from the suspect in that case. >> raymond clark worked in the building where le's body was found on sunday. there are reports clark is engaged and lives with his fiancee and she also works for the school in that same building. we'll get the latest in a live report in a couple of minutes. also ahead, remember this terrifying scene caught on tape

over the summer in a family trapped inside a burning van in milwaukee? well, the 5-year-old boy who was badly burned has just been released from the hospital. and just ahead, you'll be touched when we show you the very first thing that he did. a little later on, news you may not want to hear if you just took your morning shower. new research is revealing that a dangerous bacteria could be lurking in many shower heads. we'll tell you about that and what possibly you can do about it. but let's begin with those late-breaking details on that murder of a graduate student at yale university and the person of interest now in custody. nbc's jeff rossen has the latest. jeff, good morning. >> reporter: meredith, good morning to you. all this developed overnight. we are learning more this morning about that person of interest. his name, as you mentioned, is raymond clark, 24 years old. he's a lab tech and works in the very same building with the victim, annie le, at that research building on campus at yale university. a picture of the person of interest on your screen right now. overnight police searched his

apartment. they towed away his car. and they also took him to take his dna. late last night, police handcuffed raymond clark and took him away. >> did you do it? >> reporter: calling him a person of interest in the yale murder case. clark was not under arrest. instead, police had what's called a body warrant, a court order to take physical evidence from his body. >> the physical evidence we're looking for is dna. we'll take samples of his hair. we'll take a saliva sample from him, scrape his fingernails. there's a variety of things we do to get physical evidence off a body. >> reporter: at a late-night news conference, police said if raymond clark cooperated, he'd be released. as investigators collected evidence from clark himself, they searched his apartment, too. >> do you have dna from the assailant or the person you believe to be the assailant? are you trying to match it? >> we have a lot of evidence from the crime scene, and we'll be looking at that to see what matches and what doesn't. >> reporter: investigators told

us they focused on raymond clark after collecting 150 pieces of evidence, questioning 150 people, and reviewing 700 hours of surveillance tape. most of it taken at the crime scene, the campus research lab. this is the basement where yale grad student annie le worked and where her body was stuffed inside a wall. this bride-to-be was discovered on what would have been her wedding day. >> there is really no one who could have had access to annie le except someone who was in that building who could -- who had permission to be there. in other words, nobody came in off the street. >> reporter: monday law enforcement sources first told nbc news a yale lab tech nation failed a lie detector test and had defensive marks, scratches on his chest. >> we're going to narrow this down. we're going to do it as quickly as we can. we're going to make sure there are not other suspects out there. >> reporter: the motive is unclear and so is the relationship between clark and le. police now confirm they worked in the same building, but beyond that, police are focusing on the physical evidence.

clark's dna to build their case. >> at least we're going to start getting some answers, and we're not just in limbo. and we need to know what happened to annie. we need to know who this person is. >> reporter: police now say dna from the crime scene is already at the crime lab, and they're analyzing it. now raymond clark's dna is also going to the crime lab. they'll look for a match or to see if there's not a match within the next 24 to 72 hours. we also have new information about how exactly le was killed. while the official cause of death has not been released by the medical examiner, "the hard fort courant" reports she was killed by asphyxiation. now to the remarks made by former president jimmy carter with an interview with nbc news and they're raising eyebrows. is opposition to president obama and many of his plans fueled by racism? nbc's chief white house

correspondent chuck todd has more on that. chuck, good morning. >> reporter: president carter is not the first supporter to invoke the issue of race as to giving a reason as to why there seems to be a heated opposition. but he's certainly the most prominent person. in this interview with brian williams which is about something they were going to be talking about on the president's 85th birthday, president carter said something pretty striking. take a listen. >> i think an overwhelming portion of the intensely demonstrated animosity toward president barack obama is based on the fact that he is a black man, that he's african-american. i live in the south, and i've seen the south come a long way, and i've seen the rest of the country that shared the south's attitude toward minority groups at that time, particularly african-americans.

that racism in connection still exists, and i think it's bubbled up to the surface because a belief among many white people, not just in the south, but around the country, that african-americans are not qualified to lead this great country. it's an abominable circumstance and grieves me and concerns me very deeply. >> reporter: now, matt, of course, the white house is in the middle of this fight on health care, trying to get -- rally the country on the economy, and this is something that they know they're going to have to respond to, and it's not something they're going to be very happy about. >> what do you think they might do? how are they going to respond to these comments? >> reporter: well, when it comes to the issue of race, matt, there are some supporters who believe this white house puts its head in the sand. but you talk to the political folks in this white house, and the fear of backlash, because the fact is, president carter is saying -- is making it seem as if a majority of the opposition to president obama is driven by race, and that is really going to upset a lot of folks who will

argue that a majority opposition is not driven by race. that it may be a few bad apples that are giving voice to this, but then if it ends up dominating the debate, it's something this white house feels that politically could put them in a very vulnerable position. >> chuck todd at the white house, thank you very much as always. frank lautz is a pollster and author of "what americans really want, really." michael eric dyson is associate professor at georgetown author and the author of "can you hear me now?" good morning to both of you. frank, let me start with you. we talk about politics and political divides. ideological differences that sometimes turn ugly. why can't we say this is what this is about right now? why does race have to be made part of it? >> it doesn't have to be made part of it. the reason i wrote "what americans really want really" is i wanted to bring out what's actually happening, how people feel.

i'll give you three stats. 72% of americans are, and i quote, mad as hell and i'm not going to take it anymore. 57% believe their kids will have a worse quality of life than they will. and only 33% believe that america will be a better country for their children. >> so there's enough anger out there to create this dissension without race being a part of it, in your opinion? >> among whites, black, brown, it doesn't matter. we are afraid of the future, and we are angry with washington and wall street for not providing a better future. >> michael, i don't know which is worse. is it worse if, in fact, some of this opposition to president obama is fueled by outright racism, or is it worse if some liberals, in an attempt to defend president obama and his plans, invoke the charge of racism to discredit the critics? >> well, clearly the first would be the problem, matt. the existence of an abuse is far worse than those who trump it up. but let me say this. the you don't ask the person who's been the abuser what the status of the progress is. you ask the people or the person

who's been abused. or if we look at terror, there's only been one terrorist strike, 9/11, but since then we've had terror alerts, we've been preemptive. race is terror, and the thing is, there have been incredibly valid incidents of racial opposition to mr. obama, and there's been an atmosphere from which those events have derived. if you look at the tea baggers, he's not even american, if you look at the sentiment out there, of course we understand it would be difficult for the obama white house to come out and say yeah, because he looks like a victim crying in his beer, so to speak, but at the same time, why is it that we put the burden of proof upon him when we know that this nation has been built upon so much racial inequality, and it continues to exist in our own time? >> let me read you both something that maureen dowd wrote in her column this week. and she's talking about the incident at the speech before the joint session of congress. the normally nonchalant barack obama looked nonplussed as pelosi was behind surrounded by

middle-aged white guys, a seep ya snapshot of days when they ran washington like their own men's club. joe wilson yelled "you lie" at a president who didn't. but fair or not, what i heard was an unspoken word in the air, "you lie, boy." frank, did you hear that word? >> absolutely not. the anger is not directed just towards barack obama. it's directed towards members of congress. it's directed towards the senate. it's directed towards the media, towards unions, towards institutions that we feel have failed us. >> michael, did you hear "you lie boy" in that comment from joe wilson? >> that and a lot more, you uppity "n" and so on. >> you really heard that? >> obviously i didn't physically hear that, but the implication, the inference. you only deal with so-called empirically lynching, an epithet, you look at the kind of atmosphere and attitude. look at the opposition. president obama wants to speak to the american schoolchildren. what's more american than that?

people are keeping their kids at home because they fear he'll use his bully pulpit to drive home a democratic agenda. the point is, matt, when you look at the intense concentration on president obama, painting a president with two eyes in a black box, calling him a nazi, a chimpanzee, a monkey, how much evidence do you need? >> all right, frank. >> it amazes me that white americans are incapable of acknowledging what is before our faces and we have to deal with the racial animus that undergirds and underlies america and the resistance to mr. obama has been striking. >> frank, give you the los angeles word. real quickly, how should republicans and democrats handle the charge? >> i've interviewed almost 1 million people. i will tell you point blank, he's wrong about this. it's up to the republicans to offer an alternative and up to them to challenge the president in a civil way. but in the end, this -- if they don't understand this, this isn't about barack obama. it's about fear of the future, fear of control, loss of freedom. >> frank -- >> fear of a black planet and

fear of a black man. >> please. >> frank and eric, gentlemen, thank you both. i appreciate it. ann is on assignment this morning interviewing iran's president, mahmoud ahmadinejad. she'll report live from tehran tomorrow morning here on "today." this morning natalie's over at the news desk with the rest of the morning's top headlines. good morning to you. good morning, everyone. this morning senate lawmakers will hold a closed-door meeting on afghanistan. it comes a day after admiral mike mullen called the war "more complicated." he said the u.s. would need to send in more troops in order to win a more sophisticated -- against a more sophisticated enemy. as many as 40,000 additional troops could be sent to help supplement the more than 60,000 already there in afghanistan. meanwhile in iraq today, vice president joe biden meets with iraqi leaders in baghdad. he's urging them to put aside political differences so the country can have successful parliamentary elections in january. fed chairman ben bernanke said tuesday that the recession was very likely over with

consumer spending up slightly. but he said the recovery would likely be slow and not produce many jobs right now. and that lack of jobs is a concern again on wall street. cnbc's trish regan is at the new york stock exchange. trish, what are we watching? >> the good news here was that bernanke said technically the recession looks like it is ending. the bad news, of course, is that jobs factor. unemployment is expected to continue moving higher. the expectation is for 10% before the end of the year. and so you're really looking at an anemic gross situation which is causing this problem with jobs. now, as for today, traders are watching more economic numbers including a read on inflation. they're also watching the technology sector. you have a merger happening in tech with adobe systems, purchasing an internet services provider and also oracle out with its closing numbers after the bell. back to you. >> trish regan at the new york stock exchange, thank you. the fda has approved the new swine flu vaccine, and health

officials say the first doses should be available by the first week of october. and, oh, the crazy things kids do. a man was at the phillies/nationals game last night in fill dell when he caught a foul ball in the upper deck. everyone is cheering as he hands it to his daughter. and yes, she throws it back onto the field like every good girl was supposed to do. but her dad wasn't mad. he just gave her a big hug and everyone around cheered. i think they need to give her that ball back. back over to matt and meredith. it's not hers, she gave it back. >> the best part is the reaction. the hug makes the whole clip. >> yeah. >> that's great. >> that's sweet. >> because he could have thrown her back just as easily. >> whoa, he has that moment, like, whoa! >> and then that hug. that is beautiful. >> that's great. natalie, thanks very much. >> daddy, let go! >> see, now you're going to spread those rumors.

>> not that much rain forecast. we are dealing with spotty showers in the north his corner of the state. it will be unsettled, with a very bleak credit conditions. better and that's your latest weather. meredith? >> al, thank you. and now to the scandal involving the community

organizing group known as a.c.o.r.n. over the years it has received tens of millions of dollars in federal housing money, but now hidden camera videos have led to the u.s. senate voting to cut off funds to the group. nbc's senior investigative correspondent lisa myers has details. lisa, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, meredith. a.c.o.r.n. has long been a target of conservatives who have claimed for years the group engages in shady practices. these videos have provided critics with new ammunition and stirred enough controversy that even a.c.o.r.n.'s friends are keeping their distance. >> they're looking out for you. >> reporter: the seemingly damning hidden camera videos involve a.c.o.r.n. workers in four cities. the most recent one from san bernardino, california. >> i have some experience in -- in how not to get caught. >> reporter: a conservative independent filmmaker and a friend poses a pimp and prostitute and are advised by a.c.o.r.n. workers how to evade the irs. >> honesty is not going to get

you the house. >> reporter: even how to handle an underage prostitution ring. >> what if they're making money, because they're performing tricks, too? >> if they're making money and they're underage, you shouldn't be letting nobody know anyway. >> reporter: a.c.o.r.n. says all employees involved have been fired or suspended except the a.c.o.r.n. worker in the california video who says she was just playing along. >> you can mold this into anything you want. >> reporter: but conservatives are having a field day. >> i think it shows that they're willing to commit fraud and encourage fraud. >> reporter: the census bureau has severed all ties with a.c.o.r.n. >> senators voting in the affirmative. >> reporter: and the senate, controlled by democrats, voted overwhelmingly, 83-7, on monday night to cut off any further housing grants to a.c.o.r.n. >> i would suggest, obviously, this is a pattern of very rotten behavior. >> reporter: by one estimate, a.c.o.r.n. has received $53 million in federal money since

1994. a.c.o.r.n.'s ceo says this is a smear campaign and that some of the videos have been doctored. she threatens to sue the filmmaker and conservative media which has extensively aired the videos. >> we are not going to take this lying down. we believe that -- in fact, we know -- that this was a form of entrapment. and yes, we're going to go after this videographer and fox. >> reporter: a.c.o.r.n. which says it delivered more than 1 million votes in the last election also claims it's being attacked as a way to hurt president obama. now, political analysts say this is largely driven by conservatives longstanding distaste for a.c.o.r.n. but that president obama's history as a community organizer is one reason this story is getting so much play, meredith. >> all right. lisa myers, thank you very much. it is 7:19. and once again, here's matt. >> meredith, thanks. now to that little boy who was badly burned during a horrific

van fire in milwaukee over the summer. he's out of the hospital now and doing surprisingly well. nbc's kevin tibbles has the latest. >> reporter: just hours after his release from the hospital, an unforgettable experience for 5-year-old d.j. harper. fishing on lake michigan with the man who saved his life. >> oh, keep reeling. i think he jumped off. >> reporter: it's been almost two months since young d.j. and john first met under dramatically different circumstances. >> get the baby out! >> reporter: d.j., his mother and sister had traveled to milwaukee from tennessee when their suv hit a tree, flipped on its side, and burst into flames. in a courageous rescue caught on tape, he and his brother joel, both off-duty firefighters, risked their lives to free d.j. from the burning wreck, using nothing more than their bare hands. they described the rescue to lester holt on "today." >> it was horrific. the car -- it was engulfed in flames. and the child was just, you

know, inside there screaming. >> reporter: d.j. suffered critical burns to more than 30% of his body. but joel and john's work did not stop there. they spearheaded fund-raising efforts to help d.j.'s uninsured and cash-strapped family. >> just to see my son, you know, up moving around and smiling is just the greatest thing ever. >> reporter: doctors say d.j. still faces years of surgery and rehabilitation. but for john, he's making great progress. >> this is one of the best days of my life. you know, that's the feeling i have right now. >> glad to be out with your mom and dad? >> yeah. >> reporter: yeah, i bet you are. and no one is happier or more grateful than d.j.'s dad. >> it's a blessed day. it really is. to have him out of the hospital and to have him actually on the boat fishing. >> reporter: a great day for d.j. even if the big one got away. what did he do? did he get away? >> yeah. >> reporter: oh, well. there's plenty more where he came from, i'm sure. >> yeah.

>> reporter: yeah. for a remarkable little boy who just two months ago was fighting for his life -- >> hey, d.j., give me five. >> reporter: -- a new beginning. for "today," kevin tibbles, nbc news, milwaukee. >> d.j. is a man of few words. >> as kevin tibbles found out. when you look back at that accident and that van engulfed in flames, it's amazing what those brothers did to get him out of there. >> absolutely. and how well he is doing. we wish him the best. >> we certainly do. still to come, a prominent north carolina doctor charged in the drunk driving death of a promising young ballerina. we'll get the latest and hear from the victim's friends. but first, this is "today" on

coming up, the dangers that could be lurking in your shower head? plus, the chimp who raised big cats after your local news.

>> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am stan stovall. here is a delicate one of our top stories. one man is dead after he reportedly tried to stab a baltimore police officer in the back overnight. two police officers were arrested a pair of suspects at orleans street went on suspect pulled a knife like object and attacked what the officers. the officer's bullet proof vest protected him. both officers are now on routine leave pending the outcome of an investigation. let's check on the morning commute traffic pulse 11 and sarah caldwell.

>> heavy delays, what roads contributing to that. accident location in owings mills and another one in the city. use extra caution that there. as far as the speed sensors, 12 miles per hour on the outer loop. once you get on to the beltway west side, you are down to 20 miles per hour. 18 on the west side outer loop. a five-minute ride on southbound 95. a standard delays approaching white marsh to the beltway northeast. allied a view of the area of harford road. >> you can see that the roads are slick. we are dealing with showers on hd doppler. a little bit of light shower activity to the north of the city of baltimore. keep your umbrella handy.

satellite imagery shows that we are mostly cloudy as we like the other computer year. high only in the mid-70's. cooler by tomorrow. >> thank you for joining us. and next live update at 7:55.

7:30 now on this wednesday morning, september 16th, 2009. a gray day here in the north east, but we have a sunny crowd lining the plaza. inside studio 1a, i'm meredith vieira alongside matt lauer. coming up, if you haven't taken a shower yet this morning, you'd better stay tuned. >> don't look at me. i've already taken one. there's new research that finds your shower head could be spraying something along with water, potentially dangerous bacteria. we'll tell you about the risk and what possibly you can do about it. i think we should all kind of keep this in perspective, though. >> yes. also ahead, talk about motherly instincts and strange bedfellows. this 5-year-old chimp has taken on the role of mom to a puma cub and other big cats as well. we will meet her coming up. and a programming note as we like to say around here. this friday we're going to have a special edition of "today"

live from cowboys stadium. we're going to stay you on a tour of the new $1 billion facility that actually stands taller than the statue of liberty. plus we'll get a visit from those famous dallas cowboy cheerleaders and also we're happy to say our newest correspondent and native texan jenna bush haeger will bring us a story of a big impact in texas. that is this fry live at cowboys stadium. i was down there for a little while, and it is something. >> you booked the cowboy cheerleaders, didn't you, personally? >> why would you come back and say that on your first day back? >> sorry. >> why do you hurt me this way? >> i'm looking forward to it. it's going to be fun. but we'll begin this half hour with a tragic accident in north carolina. prominent plastic surgeon charged with cutting short a promising young life. we're going to talk with her friends in just a moment. but first, nbc's ron mott is in raleigh, north carolina, with the very latest. ron, good morning to you.

>> reporter: hey, meredith, good morning to you. people have been stopping by at this small memorial behind me paying their respects. this memorial sits a few feet away from a crumpled guardrail, an accident caused by a doctor driving 85 miles an hour when he plowed into this young woman's car. he took an oath to preserve life. yet yesterday raymond cook was charged with taking one. second-degree murder for allegedly getting behind the wheel of a luxury mercedes drunk and killing 20-year-old ballerina elana shapiro. members of her dance troupe are stunned, after saying their final good-byes tuesday. >> not only was she a young and beautiful and talented girl, but she was actually a sweet girl as well. and everybody liked her very much. ♪ the best way we can remember her is to continue and to do even

better bringing joy to people's lives. >> reporter: but most accounts, dr. cook was known to bring joy to people's lives, too, often performing desperately needed plastic surgery ironically on victims of car accidents. the 42-year-old father of two made nearly $300,000 a year and also was on the faculty at the prestigious university of north carolina medical school. his smiling face was featured in ads for his hospital touting "special doctors. special care." now, because of what shapiro's friends and family say was his carelessness, he's in a jail jumpsuit. >> driving 85 miles per hour with his mercedes-benz, that is obviously full of wonderful air bags and protection devices and he wound up with some bumps and bruises. and this innocent person taken from all of us. >> reporter: dr. cook who turned in his medical license and quit his practice tuesday is devastated, says his attorney.

>> all of raymond's thoughts have been on her and her family. the pain that they have to be going through. >> reporter: shapiro started dancing as a little girl, graduating two years ago from the unc school of the arts. she joined the carolina ballet company a year ago, appearing in several productions and was to be on stage starting thursday for a two-week run of the ballet classic "swan lake." but last friday night, she was in her car when she suddenly lost her life, a life that touched even strangers in death. >> it's a terrible tragedy. i have a daughter about the same age who also dances. this girl had everything in life going for her, and it's just a terrible waste. >> reporter: if convicted, dr. cook faces potentially more than 15 years in prison. he did issue a statement through his attorney yesterday apologizing to the victim's family and saying that he will seek treatment for substance abuse as early as this friday. meredith? >> ron mott, thank you very much. elana shapiro's friends and fellow dancers, ashley, sara and

adam were set to perform with her in "swan lake" tomorrow night. good morning to you all and our condolences. >> good morning. >> good morning, meredith. >> ashley, if i could start with you, you've known elana for several years. you went to dance school together, you joined the ballet company the same year. you were scheduled to perform as partners tomorrow in "swan lake." and i understand the night that elaine th elana died, she was on her way over to your apartment. when did you realize that something was terribly wrong? >> after i called her about the fifth time that night and she didn't answer, i knew that something was wrong. sara and i live together. and we had each other, and other people were over. but all we could think about was where was she? we were so worried about her. and we had no idea that something this tragic and terrible had happened. >> and how did you get the news? >> i actually woke up the next morning to a few text messages

that indicated that something really wasn't right. and obviously i was worried from the night before. so i got on my computer, and i saw something about losing elana shapiro. and i just broke down. i was crying and yelling that it couldn't be true. and ashley was not there at the time. and i didn't know if i should call her and tell her or wait till she got home. i hate that's how i had to find out. it was just not a good way. >> i'm sure this has been a terrible shock to the entire company, adam. what have rehearsals been like since her death? >> well, of course, the first couple days, it's been hard, obviously. the company, i think, has been so supportive of everyone. we've been trying to support one another and just comfort one another, day by day. and our thoughts go out to, of

course, elana and her family. >> there's people in winston-salem that are hurt so much that they can't even speak about her. so we just want them to know that we care. >> ashley, what can you tell us about elana, her hopes and dreams as a ballerina and as a young woman? >> she was so passionate, and she was such a beautiful person and a beautiful dancer. she loved the classics. and that's why commemorating her by dancing "swan lake" for her and dedicating all of our shows to her would be very, very important to her. and she just had so much ahead of her. and she could have done so much with her life. and it's really upsetting that she can't do any of the things that she could have done. >> well, i'm sure she's taught you a great deal about life and how precious it truly is. ashley, sara and adam,thy so much for your time this morning.

i'm sure this wasn't easy for you. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> we just wanted to say that spend time with the people that you love and care about while you can before it's too late. >> never let a moment go by that you don't let someone know how much they mean to you. >> very wise words and very true. thank you guys, all of you, very much. >> thank you. >> thank you. and now we're going to switch gears and get a check of the weather from al. >> thank you, meredith. let's take a look, see what's going on. in the northeast, yesterday, gorgeous w w >> we are already seeing light shower activity in a little bit of light drizzle around. a little light shower activity around aberdeen. chance of showers throughout today. more clouds and sunshine.

that's your latest weather. and if you want to keep track of your weather all throughout the day, go to the weather channel on cable or weather.com online. meredith? >> al, thank you. and up next, a health alert about a potential danger posed by your shower head. we'll get into that right after this.

we're back now at 7:43 with new research that finds a potentially harmful bacteria could be hiding in your home's shower heads. nbc's ron allen has this story. >> reporter: fern used to take long, hot showers on cold winter days to warm up. what she didn't know was that thousands of tiny bacteria spraying out with the water in droplets that she was inhaling were making her ill. >> it chews up my lungs, destroys lung tissue as t tuberculosis does. >> reporter: her lungs are infected with a bacteria that's a close cousin to what causes tuberculosis. she was amazed when doctors told her it was lurking in a place she never expected, the bathroom shower head with all its nooks and crannies. >> i would stay in the shower much longer than anyone i knew. perhaps that made it worse.

>> it's a little dry, a little moist, it's a good environment for the bacteria specifically. >> reporter: a team of researchers from the university of colorado analyzed dozens of shower heads taken from schools, hospitals and gyms across the country. just one nozzle seen under a microscope has this much bacteria buildup. researchers say 30% of the shower heads had significant levels. so does that mean it's not safe to shower? >> if your immune system is not damaged in some way, it's probably not dangerous. but it's like with any other thing, there's a risk assessment. >> reporter: that means transplant recipients or people with hiv or cystic fibrosis could be vulnerable. nowadays fern leapman only takes baths. she and husband phil run a nationwide patient support group looking for answers. >> how are these bacteria in the environment invading the lungs and what can we do about it? >> reporter: the colorado researchers are also studying the air in subways, office buildings and homeless shelters to see what else, like that first blast of water from the

morning shower might be making some people ill. for "today," ron allen, nbc news, new york. >> dr. neil schachter from new york's mt. sinai medical center is one of the leading respiratory experts and the author of "the good doctor's guide to colds & flu." good morning. nice to have you here. >> thank you for having me. >> you're a leading expert in colds and flu. did you take a shower this morning? >> i certainly did. i'm sure you did also. >> so if normal, healthy people take a shower, the risk is minimal. >> as far as we can tell, yes, absolutely. >> so how much of a risk, though, is there for someone who has a compromised immune system in some way or another? >> well, it's still relatively small. there are only about 4,000 cases of this particular type of infection diagnosed each year in the united states. that being said, people with underlying lung disease such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis, people with damaged immune systems, do

have to worry that they are being exposed to something that could affect them. >> and the reason, if you have the bacteria in the shower head and the pressure of the water going through almost creates an aerosol-type mist. you can easily breathe that bacteria in, is that right? >> right. this is a very ubiquitous bacteria. it's all over. it's in the environment. it's in the water. but aerosolizing it, putting it in little, tiny particles that you can breathe down into the bottom of your lung makes it somewhat more dangerous. >> real quick, some news you can use. first of all, can you clean the shower head and get rid of it or should you get rid of the shower head? >> you can clean the shower head. it's probably a good idea, if you are at risk, to change your shower head a couple times each year. >> metal shower heads versus plastic shower heads? which is better? >> yes, they found that metal shower heads are less susceptible to growing these bacteria than the plastic ones. >> and if you have one with plastic, as you just said, change it a couple of times a year. >> yes. >> because they're not all that

expensive. >> exactly. >> and if you're really concerned and you have that compromised immune system? >> do as that woman does, take a bath rather than a shower because you won't be creating that aerosol. also, you can run the shower for a minute or so before you take a shower. >> at high heat? >> no, just regularly, and that will reduce the amount of bacteria coming out. >> but again, for the vast majority of people watching this this morning, relax. >> take a shower. >> doctor, thanks very much. appreciate it pinch. up next, the chimpanzee playing mom to some big cats. we'll find out about that right after this.

sometimes in nature maternal instiblnct kicks in when you let expect it. >> she doesn't seem to mind the new baby in her care at the south carolina wildfire preserve is actually a puma cub. this doctor is the director of the institute of greatly endangered and rare species.

doctor, good morning. nice to see you. >> good morning. how are you this morning? >> i'm doing well. let me just start with the easiest question possible. how did this happen? >> you know, it takes place from the process of monkey see, monkey do. she lives in the house. she's exposed to all these different big cats that come through the facility that are there inside of her home. so she watches the people that care for them, giving them a bottle, cleaning them up, giving them a bath. and she's that great emulator. she sees them there and goes out and interacts, and she wants to be involved. you say hey, bring that baby here. she'll give it a bottle. she has great capacity of understanding and being able to interact any way you ask her. just great intelligence in a chimpanzee. >> she also seems to truly enjoy it, like she really loves taking care of these cats. this isn't the first one she has helped take care of. >> no. and she's here helping us this morning with this little tiger

cub because the puma's running around out here now and a little excited. but the tiger cubs are easier going. and she loves to be involved. she's got a very good maternal instinct. she likes playing with this little orangutan as well. she thinks that everybody is part of her family. >> and doctor, real quickly, i've only got a few seconds left. is there an automatic cutoff age when you get the cubs away from her because it could be a real problem? >> once they're twice as big as she is, then you've got to really make that change. you can see a lot more of her on her website. and she's got a book. >> she's got a book, too! >> perfect. >> website, a book. >> anjana the chimp and her adventures with the cubs. >> we cannot make this up. >> monkey see, monkey do, seriously. >> we'll be back right after this.

>> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am stan stovall. let's get a check on the morning commute with traffic pulse 11 and sarah caldwell >> it is a busy one out there. accident in rosedale. watch for delays there, because we are hearing that there are lanes closed. we're looking at heavy delays on the north side outer loop. southbound m l k and the city at lombard. additional delays developing. southbound route 3, in anne arundel county, watch for red accident there. 31 minutes there. 18 on the other loop west side.

let's give you a live view of traffic. harford road is backing down heavily. that begins in the area of belair road. we will switch to a live a few of traffic on the west side. that is the latest on traffic pulse 11. >> some showers are light in nature. they have rolled through this morning. it is going to stall out, though. we will remain unsettled for the next 48 hours. a cooler daytime high. 73 to 76. variably to of mostly cloudy today. as for tomorrow, but a chance of showers, and a cooler daytime light of 69 degrees. clearing by friday, back to normal. partly cloudy skies. gorgeous this weekend. >> thank you for joining us. our next live update in 25 minutes.

8:00 now on a wednesday morning. it's the 16th day of september, 2009. oops on the weather here. it's gotten cloudy, starting to drizzle. temperatures in the 60s. and al says actually we're probably not going to warm up much from what it is now. >> exactly. we're staying right where we are. >> good to know. out to the plaza i'm matt lauer along with meredith vieira who's back from a couple of days off. >> took my son to college. >> how'd that go? >> he, fine, me, not so much. >> a wreck? >> yeah, but it's fine. >> one more at home? >> one more at home. one left, yep. >> good for david. >> thank you. >> good for gabe. coming up in this half hour, we'll talk about the touching memoir patrick swayze was working on up until the time of his death with his wife, lisa. and it's real something that i think a lot of people will want

to read. it talks all about his career and their life together. we'll get a sneak peek at that coming up in just a little while. also ahead on a lighter note, amy poehler is here, the season premiere of her series "parks and recreation" is tomorrow night. but that is not all that she has planned for the evening. she's also reclaiming her seat at "sny's weekend update" desk. she says she can't get off that show. >> how glam she looks. >> there's a reason. >> thank you. >> she is beautiful. it's a big day for her. >> she's saying stop it, some more. >> oh, yeah. work it, girl. work it. and also amy's a new mom. she might want to stay tuned. we've got not one, not two, not three, but five of the top parenting challenges and some of the solutions. >> how many? >> five! >> i had three of them just yesterday. >> i bet. >> one of those trying afternoons. i can't wait to hear about that. first, let's go inside. ann is on assignment. natalie's at the news desk.

take it away. >> thank you, matt, meredith and al. good morning, everyone. investigators are looking for dna evidence from a man they named a person of interest in the case of murdered yale student annie le. last night police took 24-year-old raymond clark into custody. he's an animal research technician who worked at the same university lab as le. more than 20 police officers and fbi agents seized evidence from his apartment during the night. police in california are once again searching the home of phillip and nancy garrido, the couple accused of holding jaycee dugard appear tif for 18 years. they're looking for possible evidence linking them to two unsolved kidnappings. here's nbc's george lewis. >> reporter: what triggered this new investigation at the garrido home is an attempt to find possible evidence linking the couple to a pair of unsolved kidnappings that took place well before jaycee dugard was abducted. >> from what i know, the tips that have come in, this is one of the strongest leads thus far.

>> reporter: in 1988, this 9-year-old was kidnapped in hayward, california. the photos of her bear a strong resemblance to jaycee dugard. and the method of kidnapping was the same. both girls grabbed in broad daylight by someone inside a car. this is a police sketch of the suspected kidnapper in the garrett case. it resembles a photo of phillip garrido taken in 1976. >> my first thought, when i heard that jaycee was found, was please, god, let michaela be with her. >> reporter: in the other abduction, this 13-year-old has been missing since 1989. police say a car found on the garrido property in an earlier search is similar to one a witness described eileen getting into on the day she disappeared. >> have equated what they're working in back there to looking for evidence in a landfill. >> reporter: police say they expect the search will last for several more days. and they've raised the possibility that they'll demolish the garrido house. >> if we find anything to

believe that we need to tear down the house, then we will certainly pursue that. >> reporter: the garridos remain in jail in the dugard case. they have pleaded guilty to more than two dozen charges including kidnapping, rape and false imprisonment. the prisoner in the case says it could be at least a year before they go on trial. as investigators search for links to other crimes. for "today," george lewis, nbc news, los angeles. today democratic senator max baucus releases his health care reform bill, even though it has no republican backing. liberal democrats don't like the plan either because it lacks a public option. republican joe wilson called tuesday's vote a disapproval by the house political game playing. he again refused to apologize to congressional lawmakers for his outburst during the president's speech last week saying the issue is over. a new study suggests that the omega 3 fatty acid dha can boost a baby's kol tif development when added to

formula. dha occurs naturally in breast milk. it is 8:05. let's go back outside once again to mr. roker. >> thank you very much. we have a control room favorite here. it's california wine month. very nice. >> we have a slight chance of showers today. we have already seen a little more activity in the northeast corner of the state and in southern maryland.

a chance of seeing showers again tomorrow and a better chance, cooler as well, 69 tomorrow. and that's your latest weather. meredith? >> al, thank you very much. and up next, an exclusive look at the poignant memoir patrick swayze was working on throughout his fight with pancreatic cancer. but first, these messages.

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...i'm just as ready as he is. game time costs less at walmart. save money. live better. walmart. we're back at 8:10 with an exclusive first look at patrick swayze's memoir. it's not going to be published until september 29th, but we were given a preview. ♪ i had the time of my life >> reporter: patrick swayze's passion for living came through in every frame of his films. he was one of hollywood's great romantic leads off and on screen. his devotion to wife, lisa, endured for more than 30 years. in their forthcoming memoir "the time of my life" swayze and lisa described the triumphs and struggles they shared. from the highs of "dirty dancing" and "ghost" to the onset of the disease that would claim him at the age of 57. >> we've been together for so

long, you know, and she didn't -- i always expected her to leave me once she found the real me, you know. but she never has. >> he didn't understand the reason i got together with him. >> reporter: their story goes back to when they were teenagers studying at his mother's dance studio in texas. and lasts all the way through his final battle with pancreatic cancer. swayze writes about the moment when doctors gave him the bad news. i began thinking to myself, i've had more lifetimes than any ten people put together, and it's been an amazing ride. so this is okay. >> if i leave this earth, i want to leave this earth just knowing i've tried to give something back and tried to do something worthwhile with myself. and that keeps me going. >> reporter: after months of radiation and chemotherapy, swayze rallied through a grueling five-month shoot in chicago to play the lead in an a&e television series called "the beast." lisa was with him every day. >> you can trust your damn case file, and you can trust me.

>> reporter: swayze writes of the experience, "i continued with chemotherapy all the way through the shoot, but i never took any painkillers since they dull not only your pain but also your sharpness." last summer he and lisa renewed their wedding vows. his pledge to her included these words. "together, we've created journeys that were beyond anything we could imagine. yet you still take my breath away. i'm still not complete until i look in your eyes." judith kerr is the executive vice president of atria books, the publisher of "the time of my life" with us along with nancy snyderman, nbc's chief medical editor. good morning to both of you. judith, there's a lot i didn't know. he was a great athlete, a star football player. wanted to be an olympic gymnast. >> absolutely. >> and suffered an injury. >> he did. the book opens with a football game when he was in high school. and he does bad damage to his knee. he tries to get up and walk but he can't. and that injury goes on to plague him throughout. so when you look at that clip

where he's dancing off the stage in "dirty dancing" and he's landing and you know about his knee, it's, like, how did he do that? >> it makes it more remarkable that he went on to dance so much. it really does. >> absolutely. >> there is the line that's so fame u.s. and that's been said so many times about "nobody puts baby in a corner" from "dirty dancing." and as he was really kind of undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer, he kind of turned that phrase a bit. >> yes, he did. and all throughout this book, you get a sense of how courageous he was and what physical strength he had and what kind of emotional energy he had to put towards and how he was dedicated to sitting down with his wife, lisa, and looking at their life together, which is a great privilege. >> he used to say "nobody puts patrick's pancreas in a corner," a sense of humor about it. nancy, let me bring you in here. he was diagnosed 20 months ago. and although relatively few people actually get pancreatic cancer, something like 95% of people who get it die from it. >> it has a very low survival

rate, and that's one of the big frustrations, matt. it's the fourth leading cancer killer in the united states, happens to affect african-americans even more than whites. we're not sure we know why. and the problem is, if it's caught early, it's usually an accidental pickup because the pancreas floats in your belly not touching other organs. so the symptoms are nondezript, vomiting, bloating. so many times people either brush off the problem or frankly doctors misdiagnose it. >> so when we talk about a colonoscopy being a great early detection device, there is no such thing for pancreatic cancer? >> no, there's really nothing right now. the future holds beyond the normal radiation and chemo for treatment. the real treatment will be a vaccine for this kind of cancer. but right now other than an accidental mri or ct scan for something else when you find the tumor, there is no great screening test. >> and judith, this is -- the memoir is really a love story.

34-year relationship between patrick and lisa. not without its severe ups and downs. >> not without its ups and downs. and at the beginning, it took them a couple of years to get together. he met her during his mother's dancing classes. and it took her two years before she would consent to go out with him. and as you can see in that little clip before, that's what she was saying. but there is a portrait of a marriage in the book, too, it's ups and downs, the difficulties, how you never give up, and always striving to do better. >> and the plan always was to release this on september 29th, so it is coming out. >> yes, it's coming out. and patrick did see the book before he passed on. so we're very proud of that. when he sat down to write the book, he wanted to see if he had lived a good life. and anybody who reads this book will understand that he absolutely lived a -- was a good person and lived a good life. >> thanks for previewing it for us. we appreciate it. nancy, thanks very much to you as well. >> you bet, matt. >> and we're back right after this. we're fighting to guarantee that you'll never be denied coverage because of your health or age.

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brought to you by bank of america. get the most out of your everyday purchases today. tomorrow night's going to be a busy one for amy poehler. not only does her nbc show "parks and recreation" make its season premiere, season number two, but she's also returning to the "saturday night live" stage, amy poehler, good morning. >> thank you, meredith. good morning. >> a lot of good things happening. >> yes, yes, very lucky and happy and blessed. >> season two for "parks and recreation," it started out last year with a big pit that you fell into. your goal was to turn it into a park. how is the butteification process going? >> well, this season we find leslie trying to make small changes but big things happening to her. and i'm really excited to be back for the second season. it's been super fun to get started again. >> and in the first episode, she gets herself into kind of a pickle. explain how a zoo promotion lands you in a gay bar or leslie in a gay bar. >> yes. what happens in the first episode is leslie has a zoo promotion and marries two

penguins. >> which is sweet. >> which is a great way for people to come to the zoo. then she finds out they're two male gay penguins and she becomes an activist and the town supports gay marriage. >> we'll show a clip of you addressing the crowd in the bar. >> yes, this is the bulge, the gay bar. >> gentlemen, first of all, i would just like to say, thank you so much for throwing me this party. especially on a night when the colts are playing. >> we love you! >> she's just not all there. >> well, she doesn't have any savvy. >> yeah. >> she's not cool. she's ambitious and smart and driven. she just doesn't really quite know how to work a room. >> now, you, in this dress, i must say, missy, know how to work a room. >> what are you talking about? crazy. >> and there's a reason you're dressed so pretty, one of many, happy birthday. it's your birthday today. >> yes, i'm 38 years old, and i

would love to celebrate it right now. >> well, we didn't really get anything. >> well, i think i got something. >> oh. >> yeah, i got us hats and horns. >> oh, how special. >> i always travel with this, even if it's not my birthday. but this time it's special. it's special. >> well, you've got to blow your horn. >> i've got to make a crazy birthday wish. and i always play -- i always play -- this is what i do every birthday. i go on the "today" show. i put 50 cent on. and i just -- and i have a party. >> well, then can i read you a horoscope? because i know you're into this stuff. >> i love the horoscope from "the post" because it's pest mystic. >> this is not. you will become more emotionally involved with an issue you have been toying with in recent months. do you know what that might be? >> no. >> all right. >> see, it sounds a little aggressive. keep going. >> your special talent for helping others will find its perfect outlet in a job or charity or social cause that can make the world a much better place. >> wow! >> wow!

that's almost like miss america-type stuff. >> that's a call to action. >> that's pretty cool. >> i have a lot to live up to. >> and you're not only doing the show, tomorrow night, "snl update." >> yes. >> live tomorrow, thursday and the following thursday. >> right. >> that means you and seth are going to be together again? >> yeah, we're going to be together at the "update" desk. >> what drew you back? lots of money. >> lots of money. lots of money. no. oh, that's an old picture of us doing a sketch -- yeah, there we go. i'm honestly thrilled every time they ask me to come back. it's a great family. i love to return. and it's nice to be part of that experience because i got to do those specials last year. and it was really, really fun. >> and you're up for an emmy nomination, best supporting actress in a comedy series. you submitted the sarah palin rap that you did on "the update." do you think she'll be watching you on sunday and rooting you on? >> i don't know. i'm not sure.

i'll tell you who will be watching, my parents in burlington, massachusetts. they'll be watching. >> will they be rooting you on? >> i hope they're rooting for me. i think so, yeah. >> we'll be rooting you on and happy birthday. very nice to have you here. >> thank you. what's happening here? something else? >> we're saying good-bye. ♪ happy birthday to you >> you guys, keep it coming. this is too much. ♪ ♪ happy birthday to you >> including a hard hat. starts tomorrow, 8:00/7:00 central with the premiere of "saturday night live weekend update" and "parks and recreation." >> thank you so much. >> it is 8:23. here's matt. oh, geez. >> no, no, no, no. go back there. go ahead and do it. i dare you. >> come on. >> i dare you, amy. good. >> what? food fight! >> now you can get out of here. all right, ladies. tonight is the season finale of "america's got talent," ten

acts competing for a title, $1 million and a show on the vegas strip. here's nbc's lee cowan. >> reporter: it's an eclectic collection. ♪ you're all i'm living for >> reporter: there's a barry white sound-alike. >> in my mind, in my heart, i know where i'm going. >> reporter: where's that? >> success. >> reporter: there's a 75-year-old comic. >> want to talk about my kids. they're in the audience tonight, and i know they're sitting out there sweating like ryan seacrest watching "brokeback mountain." >> oh, god. ♪ >> reporter: there's even an orion sung by an angel. >> i gave what i could give. it was from the bottom of my soul. >> you cannot say who's going to win. we have no idea. >> reporter: no wonder. i mean, what is the perennial grinning fab 5 from utah --

♪ don't want to close my eyes >> reporter: -- have in common with a good ol' boy from kentucky. >> just go out there and do the best you can and hope for the best. >> kevin skinner would never have got to the finals of the show, i don't think, if he wasn't an unemployed chicken catcher from kentucky who happened to sing like garth brooks. >> reporter: and just when you think three guys from texas will sing a country song, they go off and do frank sinatra instead. ♪ i did it my way >> it feels like it's the one time where cheesy is actually a compliment. >> i think cheesy was a compliment. >> reporter: in fact, no one walked off the stage without a compliment. >> nbc's lee cowan reporting. good luck to all the contesta contestants. and we're back right after these messages, your local news and weather. >> do you want a piece of birthday cake? >> no.

>> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. budget tightening is forcing the city to cancel two of its upcoming holiday parades. the scheduled columbus day parade, billed as the nation's oldest columbus day celebration, as was the thanksgiving day parade have been canceled. let's get a final check on the morning commute with sarah caldwell. >> very busy ride out there. several accidents to report. we are hearing about one on southbound the philadelphia road in rosedale. seven miles per hour on the northeast outer loop and on the harrisburg expressway. beaver dam road and shawan, we are hearing of a new accident

there. no. on rolling road, an accident coming in there as well. on the west side, 15 mi. per hour is the average speed there. let's give you a live view of traffic this morning. that is where we have delays in both directions. live view of traffic on the north side. that is the latest on traffic pulse 11. >> we have been watching clouds out there, light shower activity around the area. we are 66 downtown, 66 at the airport. this front is going to stall out. " the temperature range between 73 and 76 degrees. cooler still tomorrow. clearing on friday through sunday. >> we will have another update

at 8:55.

8:30 now on this wednesday morn, september 16th, 2009. not the brightest of mornings here on the plaza, but we have a very bright crowd starting their day with us. happy, as always, to have them with us, waving to friends and family back home. >> nobody would argue that. >> i'm not so sure with us. anyway, these days parents deal with a lot of issues that our moms and dads really never had to imagine. >> right. >> this morning we're going to

tackle five big parental challenges. parenting challenges. >> okay. also this morning we're going to tackle three big household challenges. you want to fix up your wood floor? >> like to do that. >> he can do that. fix up your kitchen cabinets? >> yes. >> lou can do that, too. you want to fix up your stone countertops? >> absolutely. >> lou can help you do that as well for not a lot of money. we're going to talk to him and get those tips coming up. >> i'm hirir

>> we saw a couple of showers earlier this morning. chance of showers today at about 30%. variably to mostly cloudy. temperature range only in the mid-70s today. tomorrow, a better shot of

and that's your latest weather. matt? >> al. thank you very much. now to "today's search for the lost symbol." dan brown's new book was released on tuesday. it broke the first-day sales record for both adult -- for adult fiction at both barnes & noble and amazon.com. as you probably know leading up to the release, we gave you clues about some of the locations featured in "the lost symbol." and now that it's out, very smooth. >> here's the lost symbol. >> it's time to reveal the answers. clue number one, a research facility with 55 million specimens. that is nicknamed the death star. >> ooh. >> let's get the answer directly from dan brown. >> when i found out that the smithsonian museum support center had a wet pod, a dead zone and a giant squid, i knew it was a place i had to visit. >> smithsonian support center. you mentioned smithsonian. >> did i? >> yeah. >> it's a very cool place. if you like the smell of alcohol -- >> i do. >> she does. >> -- not that kind of alcohol.

>> she does. >> more formaldehyde-type alcohol. >> that, too. moving on. >> go ahead. >> clue number tw, a tropical rain forest featuring a plant with a legend. if a traveler stands in front of it and makes a wish in good spirit, that wish will definitely come through. >> first off, i can tell you the plant is called the traveler's tree. as for the location, meredith, you said it was botanical garden or a zoo. let's ask dan brown if you were right. >> the jungle at the u.s. botanical garden is the only place in the world that you can stand in a tropical rain forest and actually see the capitol building of a nation. >> i am so smart. >> you must have gotten an advance copy. i'm convinced. >> i'm just brilliant. >> you are. >> also one of the few places you can sweat. >> you were sweating a lot. >> that place was warm. a little moist in there. >> more than we need to do know. >> thank you. number three, a place where we were told it's not a religious place, but a spiritual one built by men of the craft.

al, you guessed the masonic temple in washington, d.c. dan? >> there are rooms in this world that the second you step into them, you know that they are sacred, that you are walking on hallowed ground. and for me, the temple room at house of the temple in washington, d.c., is exactly one of those places. >> al. it's a cool place. >> it is. >> it really is. it's a very cool room. finally, clue number four, memorial dedicated to a great man in history. and we had an anagram for one of its artifacts, contact for heaven. let's find out the answer from dan brown. >> the george washington masonic memorial in alexandria, virginia, is a tribute to the father of our country, george washington, a prominent mason. and the building also contains a replica of the arc of the covenant. >> which is an anagram. how about that.

>> all in the washington area. did you pick up on that? >> considering i was the guy who went to them all, yes, i picked up on that. >> can't get much by him. he's so bright. his mama calls him son. >> wow. >> once again, we would like to give a big thanks to dan brown. of course, "the lost symbol" is out, and trust me, its pages contain lots of other mysteries to unravel. you should get -- >> i'm a mystery. >> six or seven years. >> i was joking. >> that was funny. funny. >> washington, d.c. up next -- how to overcome the biggest challenges parents face every day. i'm not one of them. first, this is "today" on nbc. ♪

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"today's moms" is brought to you by walmart. save money, live better. walmart. this morning on "today's moms," solutions for five common parenting problems. "tod "today" contributor michele borba athe author of "big book parenting solutions." michele, good morning to you. >> good morning. >> they don't call it "big book" for nothing. this thing is huge. 101 answers to everyday problems you face with your kids. what's the biggest challenge we face as parents today? >> number one is we've been given the parenting of the month, every thing is the solution too often and it's not based on empirical research. i think the second is we're forgetting to teach habits of change or replacement of behavior so your kid becomes the

repeat offender and never kicks out of that. >> so what was in effect a few years ago doesn't apply these days. >> first, don't get rid of the common-sense stuff. we know there's research we can't overlook that some of the stuff we've been doing is going to backfire in our face. we need to step up to the plate. and june cleaver didn't have to deal with online bullying, this is a different era. >> so we plook at filook at fiv parents face. first, peer pressure. the majority say they deal with this on a regular basis. >> huge. the things we're telling them to do, just say no, doesn't work. so two things we've got to two. number one, we've got to stop the blackhawk mode of coming in and rescuing our kids at an early age because we've got to help them be assertive and confident from a young aiming so they can say no. the second thing is i want you to practice with your child comebacks that are ready to go in the moment for those tricky situations. >> so they're not having to think in the moment. >> because they can't think in

the moment. their brains are actually a little crazy during those peak hours. so let's help them. and tell them when you come up with a good comeback, keep saying the aim thing ovsame thi over again and the more confident you sound and it will begin to work. >> second, self-centered kids, a recent study found two-thirds of parents think their kids are spoiled. how do we get to that point and who's to blame? >> there's no gene for spoiled. so guess who gets the blame on this one. second, we've been told to boost our kid's self-esteem, we've got to praise them to death. no. all the research says it works great for adults, not necessarily for kids. >> so if you're not going to praise them, what do you do? >> well, you still praise but columbia says praise them the right way. instead of praising, for instance, you're so smart, don't. praise instead effort. if you praise you're working so hard, what all the research says is you'll actually stretch your child's persistence level, and

you'll be less likely to give up. >> okay. number three, because we've got to get through a lot of these. >> go, go. >> depression. i'm shocked, a new study found kids as young as 3 have been diagnosed with depression. >> yes. one of the things we now know is little kids pick up on our depression for the younger set. for the bigger set is, we put so much on the smarts we forgot our kid's emotional needs. the solution to this one is get savvy, mom. pick up on your child's depression signs. could be, for instance, you're looking for a change in mood, a change in irritability, or a change in pulling back from those activities he loves that last every day for at least two weeks. pick up the phone and get help. this isn't a phase. >> okay. definitely get help. fourth problem, materialistic kids. kids are more materialistic. a lot of parents feel than they used to be. why? >> well, first of all, because we've been pushing brands on them so much. when we push the brand even at age 3, they're recognizing the brand.

what the fabulous university of minnesota says, instead, start complimenting your child's inside qualities. what they've discovered is that actually boost the child's self-esteem lowers materialism, and they begin to see that who they are is more important than what they own. simple but powerful. >> and only a few seconds left. the fifth one -- and boy, i relate to this -- stress. >> stress. >> adults feel it. kids feel it, too. >> you've got to teach a replacer behavior and quick, asap. the fastest thing we know is getting oxygen in your brain. for little critters, your worries away. bigger breath. for bigger kids we're discovering, for instance, girls, yoga works really well. >> "big book of parenting solutions." if a kid is really out of control, bop them over the head with the book. thank you so much. >> you're welcome. more solutions how to make your home look brand new without hiring a pricey expert. -o( music playing )d new without - we know technology can make you more connected.

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we're back at 8:45. and this morning on "today's home," bringing tired things back to life. a kitchen update, if a floor review is not in your budget, don't worry about it. "today" contributor and do-it-yourself expert lou manfredini is here. >> nice to see you, matt. >> we're all trying to watch our pennies these days. and sometimes you bring a contractor in, you do a major job it's going to cost an arm and a leg. these are simple things you can do that will improve the look and feel of your home. >> and cost very little to do. as easy as you'll see them right now, that's how you can do them at home. >> let's start with what we're standing on. a lot of times they get dingy, dull, what's the best thing? >> $2 to 3 bucks to have them resanded. >> a square foot. >> you want to clean them first. this company makes the best floor finish, and they also make

a good cleaner. this particular one is a mop you use to first clean, matt. it's ph balanced. but look at how nice your shoes are. from there we'll put the mop down. they make a floor polish for some reason they changed the name on this. i don't know why. it used to be called a floor refresher but it's actually a polish you actually put on the floor. you squeeze it onto the floor. very similar to -- now, look at how i'm coating that. >> that much on that? >> yeah, because now with this synthetic pad here that they -- >> do they also make that? >> yeah. you come back and forth. for those of us old enough to remember a floor wax, it's not a wax. it's a urethane. if you have small scratches, a dull shine, you put this on, back yourself out of the room. >> right. >> in two hours -- >> don't do it the other way. >> what do i do now? it's nontoxic. >> no fumes? >> very low fumes. you don't have to worry about it. the floor will look brand new. >> two hours it drys? >> two hours it drys. >> the cost?

>> 12 bucks for the refinisher. >> kitchen cabinets can get dull and dingy as well. >> especially around the knobs you get that grease there. there's a terrific cleaner called krud kutter. you're not supposed to put it on varnish surfaces. particularly around here, use a little quadruple zero steel wool quickly. >> let me stop you. the more zeros on the steel wool, the finer it is, correct? >> correct. >> don't use anything other than 0000. >> you're going to clean it and wipe it away. now, the finish may look damaged. there's a product that's the secret of the antique world called howard's restore-a-finish. >> where can you get this? >> hardware stores. good hardware stores, antique stores. take that steel wool, and it comes in different finishes. this is a cherry. you wring it out a little bit. then with the grain of the wood, you work this to the finish. what this is, matt, it's almost like a chemical face peel. if you were going to, you know, to get a facial. >> yeah. >> it takes the top layer off of

the finish. now you wipe it away with a clean cotton rag. >> we're doing it quickly. it wouldn't look greasy like this at home. it would blend in perfect. >> beautiful. >> the cost of this? >> 8 bucks. >> real quickly, 45 seconds left. countertops. >> there's a brand-new cleaner by stone carrier international that has a disinfectant which will kill the flu and not harm your stone countertops. this is for daily use. spray it, wipe it away. more importantly, sealing them is important. you can do this yourself. you spray it on. you let it soak in. when you start to see it dry around the corners, spray it again. let it soak in. you'll get a year's worth of performance. so if you get stains from grape juice, wine, whatever, it's going to give you a chance to clean it up. >> all right. and you're not representing any of these companies? >> none of these people. no. >> we'll put the names of these particular products on our website so people can find out more about it. lou manfredini saving us bucks. appreciate that. also, we'll be back with much more.

first, this is "today" on nbc.

now to kids getting a rare opportunity to experience the magic of the movies. today's jenna wolf is here with the story. good morning. >> good morning to you, meredith. remember the last time you saw a great movie, the one that just took you away for a few hours and let you escape? it's an experience that can heal.

>> reporter: a walk down the red carpet, bright lights, big dreams, a step into stardom. but for some, that walk, that red carpet, even just that trip to the movies is all but impossible. >> let's go walk. >> reporter: here at morgan stanley children's hospital in new york city, a movie premiere. >> smile. come on, guys. >> reporter: but at this gala, a special audience. >> gift for you. >> reporter: not quite the big-bang production of hollywood, a more simple guide. too sick to go to the movies, let the movies come to you. >> we almost ready? >> just about. >> reporter: evelyn is one of the founders of lollipop theater, an organization that brings first-run movies to about 50 hospitals around the country. >> the goal is to provide even just a minute of escape for these kids from the medical treatments they're facing, from the illnesses they're facing,

just to help them forget where they are for a little bit. and we do that with the magic of movies. >> we get to take pictures. we get to get the movie tickets. sometimes we get popcorn and stuff like that. and we get to sit in front of this giant screen and just sit there and watch it. it felt really good. >> reporter: that's alicia. a bubbly 17-year-old who suffers from a rare childhood disease and has been in and out of hospitals since she was 2. >> she lightens everything in our lives. we couldn't imagine life without alicia. i have three other kids. they couldn't imagine their life without their sister, alicia. alicia, she's -- she's the fourth link to our table. >> reporter: today's movie, "cloudy with a chance of meatballs." from the book with same name. so i got a new book to read to you guys. flew through the air headed

towards the ceiling, and it landed right on henry. this is a magical moment for these kids, a chance to be normal and to forget, even for just a few hours. and on this day, a special pop-in by one of the movie's stars, anna faris. >> i say something like, this is amazing! i can't believe it! it's the best day ever! >> reporter: and with the magic of movies and the comfort of a good book. for many, it truly was. it's funny. but even as we were sliding down the hill, we could have sworn we saw a giant pat of butter at the top. and we could almost smell the mashed potatoes. and everybody that didn't live in the town of chew and swallow lived happily ever after. >> mri day. >> mri. >> are you excited? >> yes, i am.

>> no, you're not. you're such a liar. >> reporter: it is the notion that normalcy seems to create a hidden strength. as you saw the loply pop theater network is an amazing organization. it does so much with so little fanfare. and it just lets kids be kids even for a little while. i know al, you were part of this movie as well, so it's nice to probably see it all come together. >> certainly makes you feel better about being in the movie. >> great idea. hats off. >> it's a great organization. >> thank you, jenna. much more ahead. first, your local news and weather. >> live, local, latebreaking.

this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. one man is dead after he reportedly tried to step in baltimore city police of the store in the back over night. the officers were arresting suspects at orleans street when one of the suspects pulled a knife-like object and attacked the officer. his bulletproof vest protected him. the other officer shot multiple times, killing him. back in a minute with a check on toda

>> now let's take a look of the forecast with sandra shaw. >> good chance of seeing light, scattered showers activity today. other than, variably to mostly cloudy. a cold front has slid past the

area. it is now to our south. unsettled conditions today and tomorrow. tomorrow, a better shot at about 60%. we will only be 69 tomorrow. beautiful weekend in the mid- 70s. >> we will have another update at 9:25. need a lift? hey buddy, i appreciate the ride, you know.

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