eight americans killed in the deadliest battle there in more than a year. the other side this morning. for the first time, we'll hear from the attorney representing the man accused of blackmailing david letterman and he says there is much more to the story you haven't heard. and where's the money? a new claim that jon gosselin has virtually emptied out a joint bank account to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars. what does kate have to say about that? she is here for an exclusive live interview "today," monday, she is here for an exclusive live interview "today," monday, october 5th, 2009. captions paid for by nbc-universal television welcome to "today" on this monday morning. i'm meredith vieira. >> in for matt, i'm ann curry. good morning, pv. meredith, this deadly attack you just reported is sure to

ratchet up concerns about the direction of the war. >> absolutely. supporters of sending more troops to the region say this weekend's attack is proof more help is needed but there is political pressure to scale back. we'll get the latest in live reports from kabul and the white house in just a moment. also ahead this morning, the first round of the swine flu vaccinations start arriving today. some medical industry insiders are raising questions about the vaccine's safety. so is there a cause for concern? we'll talk to nbc's chief medical editor dr. nancy snyderman this morning. and we'll also kick off a new series we're calling "today's mentors and inspirations." this morning a humbling look at my early years in broadcasting as i introduce you to my men tore -- oh, my gosh! a legendary news man who took me under his wings 30 years ago. we'll also talk about the significance, the importance of not only being mentored but passing it along and mentoring other people in our life. >> i don't think we could have gotten where we are without mentoring. now to the latest on the deadly battle for troops in

afghanistan. jim miklaszewski is in kabul for us this morning. mick, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, meredith. u.s. military officials tell nbc news there's proof now that the taliban was behind this deadly attack. in fact, they say they've got new intelligence that shows more than one regional taliban commander was killed in the fight. the deadly battle came in afghanistan's most hostile mountainous terrain. only 20 miles from the pakistan border. some 80 enemy fighters launched the vicious attack with rocket propelled grenades and heavy machine guns, firing from surrounding mountains and a mosque, fighting so intense, medevac helicopters couldn't land to rescue the wounded for several hours. u.s. forces fought back hard. pounding the mountain sides with attack helicopters and heavy artillery. in the end, eight americans were killed. but u.s. military officials claim as many as 50 enemy dead. >> i'm telling you, it was some bravery up there and they fought

a hard fight and fought it very well. >> reporter: on a trip to the region, top commander a major general, told nbc news enemy fighters held the early advantage because they held the high ground, dug into the mountain sides. >> you've got very sheer cliffs around you. a lot of rocky, mountainous terrain, some trees around it, hard to see people. and the the enemy can move about using that as protection. >> reporter: the u.s. military is actually shutting down and pulling out from many of these remote combat outposts because the risk far outweighs the rewards. it is part of general stan mcchrystal's new strategy to reposition more american forces into more heavily populated areas, providing more security to more afghan people. but that could present even bigger challenges. mcchrystal's expected to ask the white house for as many as 40,000 additional u.s. forces for his new counterinsurgency plan. >> this is going to be a challenge, there's no question. fighting on the frontiers is an

easier military task than embedding in the population. >> reporter: those soldiers attacked over the weekend were all set to close down their base and pull out of that valley entirely as early as tomorrow. and area tribal leaders knew that. u.s. military officials are pretty much convinced now that the taliban decided to attack anyway in an effort to try to score a propaganda victory both here in afghanistan and back there in the united states where public opposition to the war is growing. meredi meredith? >> mick, thank you very much. 7:04. now to the latest on the alleged blackmail plot that's exposed david ledder man's sexual relationships with members of his own staff. we'll talk to the lawyer representing the cbs news producer in the case in a bit, but peter alexander has more.

>> reporter: this morning we've seen many late show employees arriving here at work. letterman's stunning admission has revealed a series of still-unanswered questions, like how many women were involved in did all the relationships end well, and did any of those women feel pressured by their boss' advances or were they all happily consensual? in the meantime, the man accused of extorting david letterman faces first degree grand larceny charges and if convicted, severe punishment -- up to 15 years behind bars. >> i have had sex with women who work for me on this show. >> reporter: it was no joke. david letterman's stunning confession last thursday revealing a bizarre story of interoffice sex, crime and money. now out on bail, robert joe halderman who prosecutors say tried to extort $2 million from letterman, seen this weekend running errands and barking at reporters outside his connecticut home. the 51-year-old, prosecutors say, delivered a package to letterman's car last month.

inside, photographs, a page from a personal diary and a letter threatening to expose letterman's sexual relationships if he didn't pay up and warning the comedian his world is about to collapse around him. >> there is another side to this story. it is not the open-and-shut case that you just heard about. >> reporter: prosecutors say halderman was in debt and court papers shows owes an ex-wife 6,800 a month in child support. his recent live-in was one of letterman's assistants and a familiar face in late-night skit pz. >> this is stephanie doing an impression of her old boyfriend dancing. >> reporter: "the new york times" reports she had a past sexual relationship with letterman. in a wake forest university alumni magazine from 2003, she called letterman the greatest boss i could ever have. letterman didn't name any of his co-workers when he addressed his relationships last week. >> would it be embarrassing if

it were made public? perhaps it would. perhaps it would. especially for the women. >> reporter: now other former employees who claim they were involved with letterman are coming forward and some wonder whether any of letterman's office relationships were inappropriate. >> now that he's admitted to the world that he was having sex with employees, they may feel comfortable coming forward now saying, we felt uncomfortable all along. >> reporter: letterman's production company, worldwide pants, says the comedian didn't violate its policy and no one has ever filed a complaint. for now, letterman's become the bunch. line for the other kings of comedy. >> i was shock at letterman that is been having affairs. i had no idea he was even running for office. >> if you came here tonight for sex with a talk show host, you've got the wrong studio. i'm sorry. >> reporter: for his part, joe haldierman has been suspended from cbs. his next court date is scheduled for november 10th. >> peter alexander, thank you.

criminal defense attorney representing mr. haldierman is here. david letterman went directly to the public and laid out his case. your appearance here today is your client's first chance to be heard. what's his case? >> little has been said about joe as a person. as you point out, this has been all about david letterman and the thing about joe as a person, and those who know him think about joe halderman, they think about how unlikely this is, people like dan rather who have worked with joe halderman at cbs news for 27 years. he's been there more than half his life. he's an emmy award winning journalist. when you just go a little beneath the surface it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. >> that said, as you heard the evidence is piling up against him. so why would he go to the length that he did in allegedly delivering a package to letterman with photographs in this package and a letter threatening to expose his sexual relationships? >> those points only take on

significance by looking at the surrounding circumstances. what this trial's going to be about, or it will all be about the surrounding circumstances and that's what we -- >> what do you mean by the "surrounding circumstances" -- >> motives and intent and it's not only the motive, intent and conduct of joe halderman, but the motive, intent and conduct of david letterman as well. as i said, i look for a to cross examining david letterman. >> what do you hope to get out of david letterman? why are you saying that? it sounds ominous to say that about him at this point. >> first i want to point out that the prosecution's case, there was an elaborate press conference and an elaborate statement in court. the prosecution's case, in so many ways, makes no sense. joe halderman is an experienced investigative producer and journalist. >> you've said that. but did he warn david letterman that his world was about to collapse around him? >> i'm not going to -- >> did he try to extort $2 million from david letterman? >> let me explain this.

this is day four of the case. it started on friday. today is monday. as a responsible lawyer i have a whole lot of investigation to do. i've started that process already. on day four i'm not here to discuss the details of the case. it would be irresponsible to do that. i'm saying that you can't just take at face value what the prosecutor has said. if we all simply accept that unsworn statement, not tested by cross examination, only david letterman's side of the story, if you take that at face value and say, turn off the sets, that halderman is guilty, that's plainly wrong. >> but i think it is fair to say that your client faced an uphill battle. you do as well in representing him in the sense that what prosecutors say they have is a cash $2 million check. what they say they have is evidence accrued by a wire, using a wire, in a conversation in which your client basically talks about the cataloging, the sexual relationships, the

information that he's got against david letterman, and demanding $2 million. what do you have to say for that? >> you know, i've been doing this a long time. once again i'll say this repeatedly, if you simply accept at face value what the prosecutor is saying, say that's enough for us, i think that's wrong. >> can you give us anymr information? >> there is a presumption of innocence. i'm not about to share any information on day four of a case. but i will say this -- that the case that's been described by the prosecution makes absolutely no sense. in the history of extortion attempts, there's never been, as far as i know, someone paying by check. but i assure you that the public should not rush to judgment. the public should not simply take the word of david letterman at face value, or the prosecutor at face value. i've been in so many cases where people said, wow, look, that's an overwhelming case and the result at the end of the day was an acquittal. all i'm asking you is to be patient, which you're seemingly not -- >> no, i am not impatient.

i'm just looking for information because we've only heard one side. that's raised a specter as to whether or not can you actually get a fair trial given how widespread david letterman was able to make his side of the story well known. >> well, because he has access to the media. he has access to -- >> i'm giving you access to the media this morning and you're not actually giving your client's side of the story. >> but you know what? david letterman didn't give his side of the story. david letterman gave what he wanted the public to know. he wanted to get out ahead of the story and that's exactly what he did. he's a master at manipulating audiences. that's what he does for a living. so to think that david letterman gave the entire story and there's nothing more to be said is simply wrong. >> are you prepared to talk about your client's state of mind at this time and what his state of mind is today? for example, we understand that one of -- the names of four women have come forth from the count that i've been able to have, including this name of stephanie burkett that we just with heard about in peter

alexander's piece, an intern assistant who then more recently after dating david letterman dated your client. i'm trying to understand his state of mind during this time. we're also hearing reports that he was having financial troubles because of alimony payments. can you speak to that, sir? >> yes, i will speak to that because the prosecutor put a great deal of emphasis on it. but the fact that someone was having financial problems and financial problems just pop in this october of 2009 or september of 2009, he had been enduring financial problems since his divorce. there's no question about that. but i'm here to say today that after this avalanche of publicity about joe halderman, the extortionist, joe halderman is not an extortionist. he's a person with an impeccable reputation, highly regarded in the industry and he's entitled to the presumption of innocence. >> is he innocent? >> he's innocent. >> jerry, thank you so much this morning. now let's get a check of the rest of the morning's top stories with natalie morales in for me at the news desk. good morning, everyone. a deadly attack this morning in

pakistan where a suicide bomber dressed as a security officer blew himself up in a lobby at the offices of the world food program. a group that distributes aid to the poor. at least five people were killed. after the blast, the u.n. temporarily closed its offices in pakistan. today rescue officials in indonesia called off the search for any more survivors in last week's earthquake. entire villages have been wiped out and the final death toll could be in the thousands. survivors gathered in churches sunday in samoa and american samoa to mourn the loss of more than 175 tsunami victims last week. they also pledged to rebuild their devastated communities. a state of emergency is in effect in southern california where a wildfire has burned more than 7,500 acres in san bernardino county. fires have been threatening the mountain resort community of wrightwood. more than 4,000 residents had to be evacuated. overseas markets are mostly high they are morning. cnbc's melissa lee is at the new york stock exchange in morning.

>> good morning, natalie. bank of america's working on finding an emergency ceo pick in case its current ceo ken lewis is forced to step down because of legal troubles. this according to the "wall street journal" this morning. remember, last week lewis announced he would be retiring at the end of the year and he is under investigation by the new york attorney general's office for civil securities fraud. natalie? >> melissa lee at the new york stock exchange, thank you. and an elf taste of winter, sunday in bend, oregon, where more than seven inches of snow fell. it brought down trees and power lines and left thousands without electricity. it is 7:15 right now. let's turn it back over to meredith, ann and al. it's here already. so soon. >> ann knows about bend. >> bend is a fantastic place. that's still an early snow. >> it sure is. we're seeing a lot of that snow throughout much of the rockies right now and part of the northern plains. good morning, everybody. let's take a look, show you what's happening. billings, montana, helena, we are looking at snow. some areas picking up significant snow, about 5,000 feet above the sea level right there. some areas picking up 12 inches

of snow and in the southeast, stationary front, low pressure attached, we've got a lot of wet weather through the southeast. rainfall amounts some areas picking up half an inch but some regions along the carolina coastline could see sunny. a couple of clouds around no. precipitation. pleasant temperatures expected this afternoon with highs in the upper 60's and low 70's. >> and that's your latest weather. al, thank you. president obama is returning his focus to the hell care fight today, fresh off of friday's quick trip to denmark and that sound defeat for chicago's 2016

olympic bid. will that hurt the president's chances to win other looming battles? nbc's savannah guthrie is at the white house with more. savannah, good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you, meredith. it was a loss for chicago, an embarrassment for the president, and now aides here are having to fend off suggestions it's caused lasting political damage. stepping out for a saturday date night celebrating their 17th anniversary at a posh washington restaurant, the obamas are looking to move on after suffering the agony of olympic defeat on the world stage. >> the city of chicago, having obtained the least number of votes, will not participate in the next round. >> reporter: the city of chicago was stunned to lose its bid on the first round, despite high-profile personal pitches from the president. >> i urge you to choose america. >> the first lady. even chicago's most famous resident, oprah winfrey. >> can you play a great game and still not win. >> reporter: returning to washington, the president played

good sport but conservatives sensing an opportunity were quick to pile on. >> man, oh, man, the worst day of obama's presidency! folks, the eagle has landed. >> reporter: by going to copenhagen, the president put his prestige on the line. but advisors say the loss is no reflection on the president's ability to close the sale. >> i think the president's skills of persuasion have been tested and have been proven. >> reporter: the question now, will what happened in copenhagen feed a narrative in washington. >> it adds to what i think is a growing impression among some that the president is all talk but doesn't deliver. >> reporter: a theme saturday night live seized on in a parody this weekend. >> because when you look at my record, it's very clear what i've done so far. and that is -- nothing. nada. almost one year, and nothing to show for it. >> reporter: well, there will be

progress this week on the president's key initiative -- health care reform, expected to pass out of the final senate committee this week, meredith. >> savannah guthrie, thank you. 7:19. now to the latest on an arrest made in connection with secretly recorded nude videos of a popular espn reporter. we're now learning that investigators followed a high-tech trail of clues to nail the suspect. nbc's john yang is in chicago with more on this. hey, john, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, ann. the 47-year-old chicago area man seen here in a photograph from "the chicago sun times" is due back here in federal court this afternoon after he was arrested on a federal charge of internet stalking -- interstate stalking, in this case of a popular tv sports reporter. espn's sideline reporter erin andrews is used to be on camera at big sporting events. not in the privacy of a hotel room. but the fbi alleges that 47-year-old michael david barrett used a cell phone to

make peeping tom nude videos of andrews at a nashville hotel room where she was covering a college football game. and perhaps in a hotel room in milwaukee where she was covering a major league baseball game. a 33-page criminal complaint says barrett posted the videos on the internet after celebrity website tmz.com rejected his attempt to sell them. the fbi tracked barrett using his e-mails to tmz. >> it is a tough time for his parents and relatives and as it would be for anybody. >> reporter: the fbi alleges that barrett tampered with the peep hole in andrews' hotel room door, short rning the length of the removable eye piece so can he quickly and quietly remove it from the outside allowing him to use a cell phone to secretly shoot the nude videos. it is claimed he called hotel

rooms where andrews was staying, then asked specifically for a room next to andrews who is identified as "individual a." >> this was childish, this was immature, this was vicious and this was criminal. >> reporter: andrews says it was a nightmare. she talked about it last month with oprah winfrey. >> having to call my parents and they thought i was physically injured. how bad i was screaming. i kept screaming "i'm done, my career's over. i'm done." and i "get it off. get it off the internet. get it off." >> reporter: barrett's been ordered to california where the charges were filed and this afternoon a federal judge will decide whether he makes that trip as a free man on bond or as a prisoner in the custody of federal marshals. ann? >> john yang this morning, thanks. just ahead, an exclusive live interview with kate gosselin. did jon clean out the family's joint bank account. did their children ask to be taken off television. we'll( piano music playing )hat.

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still ahead -- swine flu vaccines arrive today to a dose of controversy. >> how do we know if the vaccine is safe? we'll did sk dask dr. nancy snyderman. and kate gosselin after your local news and weather.

>> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i'm stan stovall.

police are identifying the body of a woman found in a sewer pipe in north baltimore on friday. the woman was reported missing in january 2008. according to charging documents, or former boyfriend faces murder and assault charges in connection with third death. -- her death. let's get a check on the morning commute with sarah caldwell. >> in the southbound direction, 198, we have an accident there. southbound at 32, off to the side. volume-related delays as you make your way towards the earlier accident scene. if you're heading out on the north and west side outer loop, dealing with delays this morning. you are having a spot -- your

heaviest spot on the west side. on i-95, -- actually, we will check the west side first at the ready. 95 southbound at 32, the accident scene of the left shoulder. >> things are pretty quiet on this morning. high, thin clouds. partly-to-mostly-sunday. high temperatures this afternoon in the high 60s and low 70's. 72 on tuesday. coupler showers late in the day. >> be sure to check the bottom of your screen for updated news and traffic information. our next live update at 7:55.

7:30 on this monday morning, the 5th of october, 2009.

we have some sunshine and lots of smiles on the plaza. we'll step outside and say hello in just a little while. i'm meredith vieira, alongside ann curry who's in for matt lauer this morning. just ahead, kate gosselin speaks out with the suspension of the flimting on her reality show and her ex-husband jon's recent actions, including a new claim he's now emptied their joint bank account. our exclusive live interviews in just a moment. also this morning, we'll be talking about the first wave of swine flu vaccinations which have now arrived but the vaccine is only tested for less than two months. it has some people who were told they have to get it leery. dr. nancy snyderman addresses those concerns. plus, david letterman's staff heads back to work for the first time since the comedian revealed having sex with his female co-workers. we'll talk about sex in the work place and when it is okay to have an office romance and when you are headed into dangerous territory. but we'll begin with kate

gosselin, here with us exclusively to talk about her divorce bat. >> caller: jon and the future of her family's reality show. we'll talk with her in a moment. but first "today" national correspondent amy robach has the latest. >> good morning. things are heating up between jon and kate. there are explosive new allegations of financial wrongdoing connected to jon and a bank account that the gosselins shared. it's the latest twist in the very public divorce battle being played out in the tabloids and on tv. media outlets are reporting that jon violated an arbitrator's rules and pulled hundreds of thousands of dollars out of a joint bank account he shared with kate, leaving her with only $1,000. the account is reportedly used by kate to pay family bills and a separate account for the children was left untouched. lawyers for kate are expected to go to court today to try to get the money back. early last week, tlc announced it was changing the name of their hit show currently in its

fifth season from "jon and kate plus 8" to "kate plus 8" leaving jon with a diminished role. jon asked the court-approved arbitrator to suspend his divorce for 90 days, and on thursday in an interview with larry king he said he wanted his kids off the show. >> i don't want them to film anymore. don't think it's healthy for them and the reason i done think it is healthy for them is we're going through a divorce right now and i don't think it should be televised. >> reporter: a sign hung outside his pennsylvania family's home warning tlc crews to keep out. and while the sign has been removed, the battle is far from over. with both sides having very different views about what's in the best interests of eight young children. tlc says the show's production will remain suspended pending further conversations between both parents and that jon remains under contract with the network. meredith. >> amy robach, thank you very

much. kate gosselin is with us exclusively. kate, good morning to you. >> good morning. thank you. >> it has been a real roller coaster after week for you. first of all, how are you doing? >> i'm hanging in there. it's hard. every morning i don't know what i'm going to wake up to. >> let's talk about the latest that you have awakened to, this report that jon emptied a joint bank account of hundreds of thousands much dollars leaving you with just $1,000. is that accurate? >> it is accurate. you know, when we started this out i was determined -- i didn't want to discuss this stuff. i didn't want it out there. he didn't want to talk about it. obviously it has gotten out. and it is true. >> how much money did he take out of the account and what were the stipulations with regard to that account when you could take out money and for what purposes? >> back in the beginning when we had our first meeting, the arbitrator said that neither one of us could take money without the other's consent. however, i was given

historically, i am the bill payor, i am the money manager, i was allowed to show proof of every bill i paid and use the money that way. our liquid money, this joint bank account, contains all of our liquid money and it was sitting there waiting to be paid. he was not allowed to touch it. at some point i removed it to keep it safe on the suggestion of my lawyer but needed to put it back according to the arbitrator. i did that. >> why did you remove it? did you think that he was going to try to take funds out of that account? >> he had done it a few days before i had filed for divorce. he didn't empty it completely but it was enough that i was afraid. in fact, at some point up until that point i had taken $100,000 and put it aside, safely, so that i could buy my kids food if this occurred. i was afraid. he was literally buying erratic purchases, randomly purchasing things and -- i'm sorry. -- the last thing i wanted was

to do this show and end up not being able to pay my bills. so i put money aside willingly brought it forward and split it with him when we had our meeting. so he took the $50,000 and did whatever with it. i paid bills with my $50,000. and once the court arbitrator stepped in, i felt like the money -- i had to put it back. i didn't feel like it would be safe, to be honest. and he took $230,000 of the $231,000 that we have liquid and i have a stack of bills in my purse i can't drop in the mail. >> let me tell you what his lawyer said. we reached out, they did not respond to us but they did respond to e.t. --

>> i have a few comments to that. first of all, i have the accounting over the last few months and it is exactly $230,000 beginning on august 10th and his last withdrawal was september 29th. second of all, it's wonderful to say that he will be awarded significant funds. however, there are no significant funds for him to be awarded. and i don't care that he feels he needs to be awarded this. when you have left your children and their mother unable to pay for the roof over their head, it's not acceptable. >> will you demand that that money be redeposited in the account? >> i have to in order to keep my kids where they live and put food on their table. i need that money to provide for them. you have to understand my position here. we were in a position after our is exit t sextuplets were born that we cannot pay our bills. we did the hoe to provide a better life for them.

never did i think i'd be back in the same position worried about providing for them. >> let's talk about what happened to this show. it all began last week when tlc announced it was going on hiatus, it would come back not as "jon and kate plus 8," but as "kate plus 8," that jon would have a limited role. were you aware that was going to happen? were you part of that decision making, kate? did you want jon to have a limited role? >> i was aware of it. but i wasn't in the decision process. i was in agreeance with it because i feel like at this point, unfortunately, we do have different goals and it appears to me, my opinion, that there is one parent at this point that is pulling for the best of our children. it's upsetting to me and i think that it was upsetting to the world to watch the unraveling. i feel like jon is not on the same path as me, obviously. and i felt like it was the best thing to come out of this and

i'm a contract honorer. when i put my name on a piece of paper, the situation may change, but i want to do what i say i'm doing. >> and yet jon has argued in the past few days that the best thing would be for this show to be off the air right now, that he claims that the kids have said to him they don't want anymore filming and tlc has in fact postponed the filming because he has basically said cease and desist. did have you a conversation with jon about that, about postponing this show, at least for the time being? >> i have never had a conversation -- i do not talk about these issues with him because it seems that whenever i have a conversation and we solve something, different things -- he hangs uch the phone and does something completely different. this is historical. it is almost not even really worth it anymore. i do talk to him about custody, when i can get ahold of him. it is not for a lack of trying on my part as far as communication. i've called 20 times a day before and have found myself making decisions alone without

his consent because i simply cannot reach him. the kids have over the weekend, i toll them that we're not filming at this point and actually, times eight, there was wailing and sobbing. they love our crew. they love the interaction. they love the events and there is nothing harmful about it. they are angry. >> so when he says the kids have said to him they want the filming to stop, your response to that is -- >> i'm sorry, i'm not present all the time, but it has never happened, not the response i saw this weekend. >> kate, where do you think the disconnect is? because jon also said he had had an epiphany, he wanted the divorce proceedings halted for 90 days, that he wanted you two to become friends and mediate together and he was going to reach out to you and actually apologize to you. can you be friends? is it possible at this point for you two to bury this hatchet and to mediate together or has it gone too far? >> he has gonen way far off the trail. i will keep peace where i need

to keep peace. obviously i'm very upset. i can't sleep at night. i can't pay my bills. i think that he's receiving bad counsel. he has always been one to listen to the person who's next to him and i think that he's receiving bad advice. i think he's making bad decisions and you know, i honestly -- call me crazy, i've said it before -- but i'm still hoping that at some point i'll receive a phone call and the old jon is back. >> but if jon decides that he wants this show postponed or removed from the air, he has the power to do that. doesn't he? >> tlc has always said if one of us comments that it is not healthy, that it is not good, whatever, they will honor that. even just the allegation, they have to abide by that. they have to hear his voice in that. and, unfortunately, it's -- you know, our source of income, and so in one fell swoop, in one week, basically at his hands,

all of this has been removed. our money, our income, it's a terribly hard situation to be in. i never wanted to sit here talking about these details. i just feel like i need to get the facts out there, the truth, not my opinion -- the truth of what has actually occurred and what is occurring. because when my kids look back on it, i don't want them to see untruths. i want them to see the balance of, no, no, this is reality. >> does any part of you, kate, believe maybe he's right, maybe enough's enough now, maybe it is time to put this show to bed and to resolve these issues very privately? >> i wish i could but he keeps playing to the media. he doesn't tell me the things that -- the things you've seen him say on tv i have never heard from him. it doesn't even sound like his words. and he's never picked up the the phone and said any of those things to me. >> okay, we appreciate you being here this morning.

some other things i'd like to talk to you about, hopefully at another time. kate gosselin. now a check of the weather from al. >> thank you very much, meredith. sad situation. we've got some nice folks here who came from ohio who's -- and iowa who's brought shirts. ann and natalie and me and meredith, matt's not here, of course our peacock, and lady liberty. thank you so much, ladies. as we check your weather and see what's going on, week ahead, above normal in the southeast gulf coast. much below normal in the plains. out west precipitationwise, it is looking wet. heavy rain through the gulf coast, o >> looks like the weather is going to be nice and quiet on this monday. a mixture of sunshine and clouds out there. high temperatures range from the upper 60s in the northern suburbs to low 70's down south.

>> and olivia's happy sweet 16. happy birthday. all right. now let's go back inside to meredith. up next -- the new concerns that are arriving along with today's first shi sometimes, the little things in life feel like our biggest enemies. they can be damaged... they can be stolen. happily, there's the american express charge card. if something you recently bought with the card breaks, it can be repaired,

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>> announcer: "flu flee today" brought to you by cvs pharmacy. don't risk it, get a flu shot. this morning we begin a new series called "flu-free today." the first vaccine clinics are being held today in memphis,

tennessee and minneapolis. important news. this first version of the vaccine is a flu mist, and it is not for everywhere. >> this flu mist is intended for kids over the age of 2. not intended for kids under 2, pregnant women, and people with immune compromise system. why? because it is alive but altered virus and can cause a very robust immune system response. but for most healthy kid, 2 and over, this is great because you don't get a needle, you just get a little squirt up your nose. >> but the needle is coming. >> the needle is coming. >> how soon? >> we know you'll start to see shipments this week, then there will and steady roll-out. 6,000 doses of the flu mist has been rolled out. the government is work ong fast as it can so just keep on top of the news daily. >> the shot does not have the live virus which is the one that others can use it. is it as effect sniff. >> they're both effective.

just different ways of getting the vaccine into your body. >> who gets the h1n1 vaccine first. 6 to 24 years. everybody who's taking care of kids, a mom at home or care worker, pregnant women, of course, because we know that the hospitalization rate is higher in pregnant women, the death rate is higher in pregnant women. not exactly sure why but definitely pregnant women need to get their shots. health care workers, for sure. >> well you mention health care workers. you know last week we saw some protestors, some health care workers were protesting against the mandatory. right? so that raises the specter -- they don't want to be given it directly in a mandatory way because they are afraid -- >> no no, i think they don't want the government or hospital telling them "you have to do this." let me step back for a second. people go into medicine -- doctors, nurses, an everybody else who is in a hospital -- because they want to take care of patients. if we decided to cherry-pick who we'll take care of or not take

care of ourselves, we wouldn't take care of people with aids, tur tuberculosis. i think it is the height of selfishness for hospital workers not to get a vaccine. if you take care of me and i am the patient, i am therefore taking care of you. >> understood. but yes or no, will you say here that you believe this vaccine to be safe? >> unequivocally, yes. i got my seasonal flu shot. ly get my h1n1. it is absolutely safe. the the data coming out of of these clinical trials is very affirming. >> dr. nancy snyderman, thank you so much this morning. always great to see you. still ahead, meredith introduces us to her mentor. but first these messages.

one of the skits from this weekend's saturday night live is getting a lot of buzz about lady gaga and madonna. >> lady gaga and madonna.

>> what the hell is this? >> hey, guess with a, madonna? i'm totally hotter than you. >> hey, guess what? i'm totally taller than you. what kind of a name is lady gaga. sounds like baby food. >> the kind that never -- >> that's it. behave! >> i hate that madonna's let herself go. >> looks like ann's dressing room in the morning. >> oh, my goodness! >> just like you and ann. >> oh, whatever. much more. kate gosselin's going to come back later this morning and talk with us some more.

>> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i'm stan stovall. the search continues in baltimore county for a missing 11-year-old boy. he is a resident of the st. vincent home at the 2600 block

of pots spring road in timonium. he was last seen at east lake road wearing a red or orange shirt with blue jeans. if you know about the young man's whereabouts, call baltimore county police. >> let's check a few accidents coming in to us in the job our region. at philadelphia road and joppa farm road, a few delays, an accident clearing there. southbound on the j.f.x. just out of the beltway, starting to slow up. this is backing of traffic on southbound 795. at general site, an accident there. biggest ally on the west side outer loop. liberty road, that is your west side delay. we will switch over to a live view of the northeast side at

harford road. that is the latest on traffic pulse 11. >> the weather is nice and quiet on this monday morning. temperatures in the upper 40's and the were 50's. mostly sunny skies. pleasant conditions. high temperature range from 67 to 72 degrees. low 50s in the city. we will see a few chance for showers tuesday and into wednesday morning high temperatures in the low 70's. >> our next live update

8:00 now on this monday morning, october 5th, 2009.

a cool fall morning here in midtown manhattan. we have stepped out on to rockefeller plaza to say hi to all the fine folks starting their week with us. i'm meredith vieira, along with ann curry who's in for matt this morning. and mr. roker, of course. we started a special series, "today's mentors." none of us could be here by ourselves. this morning i'm going to introduce to you one man who made a major difference in my life. >> you were hot. yes! still am. still be. >> but the bigger thing is about ment mentoring, encouraging people, whoever you are, to mentor someone else because it can make a huge difference. >> not only in their life but in your life as well. because it makes you feel better about yourself. this morning, people are still talking about david letterman's -- i guess situation, really sort of difficult situation, his staff will be taking its first show since the late night funny man

admitted to having sex with his own staff members. well coming up next, we're talking about the slippery slope created by these kinds of interoffice romances. to a different topic, of course we all know, mom has told us, breakfast, the most important meal of the day. gets everything set up for you. but if your breakfast consists after bowl of cold cereal, you might be kicking your day off with a lot of problems. the scoop on just how unhealthy some cereals can be. >> can i just say -- look at al? how fantastic you look. healthy is your middle name, buddy. you look pretty darn good, too. >> thank you. everybody looks good. you look good. >> you're beautiful. you know who looks great? natalie morales. thank you, guys. good morning, everyone. in the news this morning, u.s. military now says there is proof that the taliban was behind a deadly weekend attack that left eight american soldiers dead. the battle between u.s. forces and about 80 enemy fighters happened in afghanistan's most

hostile mountainous region. the military says about 50 insurgents were killed, including more than one regional taliban commander. the leader of the taliban in pakistan is vowing attacks against the u.s. because of more than 70 drone attacks against the past year targeting militants. this morning a suicide bomber struck inside the lobby of the u.n. food agency in islamabad killing five people. the bomber was disguised as a security officer. firefighters are hoping cooler temperatures and higher humidity today will help them get a handle on a wifl near the popular california resort town of wrightwood. almost 12 scare miles have burned. authorities in reno, nevada are tracking all leads right now hoping to find a 16-year-old girl alive after she disappeared five days ago. nbc's mike taibbi has more. >> reporter: with each passing day, it seems less likely that this 16-year-old girl, last seen riding her bike at 6:30 last wednesday night, will be found

alive and unharmed. her bike was found in a culvert not far from her home. one reason police are focusing on foreclosed and vacant houses in and around her hometown of stead. there were prayers for the high school sophomore at a sunday service, and as many as 50 volunteers, some strangers from miles away, joined her family and friend in a search that extended to the open fields and industrial parks on reno's outskirts. >> if anything happened to my baby, i'd want people to look for him as well. >> reporter: reno police tell nbc news they're following leads that suggest foul play. a conclusion more likely with each passing hour of fruitless searching. they know about bad endings in reno. some of the volunteers searching for her spend days last year searching for 19-year-old brianna denson had been abducted, raped and murdered by a suspect now awaiting trial. if there is a different suspect holding her -- >> just tell the guy, bring her

home. we don't want to see your face. just drop her off and go away. >> reporter: for right now though, she's still listed as missing. on a much lighter note, not only runners were racing but hearts were, too, when one man finished a 5k run in chicago on sunday. at the finish line he gave his girlfriend a bouquet of flowers, then you see it right there, that magic moment, went the extra mile, got down on his knee and proposed to her. her answer, "of course, yes." so cute. 8:04 right now. let's get another check of the weather from the very handsome al roker. >> thank you very much, natalie. we've got some nice folks from the four legs ranch. wow. what do you raise on the four legs ranch. >> we raise roping steers. >> roping steers. >> and i just found out yesterday my daughter's rodeo, she got all-around cowgirl! go kendra! >> go kendra, all-around cowgirl. very nice! you won't "steer" us wrong? let's show you what's going

on as far as your weather's concerned. pick city of the day -- cincinnati. love that chilly threeway. looking at mostly sunny skies. mild and 69 degrees. jet stream brings that storm system -- storm track right over the southwest. they'll be looking at snow showers through the rockies. heading on toward wednesday, subtropical jet gets involved, look for wet weather through the southeast. going to stay there pretty much >> good morning. looks like the weather will stay nice and quiet. partly sunny. a couple of clouds around no. precipitation. pleasant temperatures expected this afternoon with highs in the upper 60's and low 70's.

>> where you guys from? >> tennessee. >> tennessee! all right. good it see you. lady vols. now over to miss curry. thank you, al. meredith's going to launch us off on our series about mentors and inspirations. she'll tell us all about her mentor right after these she'll tell us all about her mentor right after these messages. climbed a rockwall ou in the middle of the ocean? or tried something really wild? why not? it's all possible in royal caribbean's nation of why not. on our caribbean cruises, you can do anything you want. which may be nothing at all. for as low as $80 a day, why not reserve now? call 1-800-royal caribbean or your professional travel agent today.

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back at 8:10. this morning we are kicking off a special series we call "today's mentors and inspireses." the people who touched our lives both personally and professional. i was fortunate enough to have been mentored by a legendary broadcast journalist producer, sir howard stringer who helped shape who i am on air. >> more than 30 arrests have been made. >> reporter: when i look back at my early years in broadcasting -- i remember my first resume tape from local news. >> hi, i'm meredith vieira. i'm a reporter anchor at wjar television in providence, rhode island, and i hustle. >> reporter: i wore a few hats then.

learning the ropes. >> any time you cover a tragedy as a reporter have you o grow up an awful lot. >> reporter: and weathering my share of icy moments. if the fishermen decide to stay off the job, these boats won't be going anywhere any time soon. >> reporter: but mostly i remember the influence of sir howard stringer who was the executive producer of the cbs evening news when i arrived there in 1982. >> i can't deny the fact that looking at her, she was stunning on camera. she was just incredibly comfortable to the eye and a friendliness that just came through. >> when i first came to howard i was extremely green. i was nervous, you know, to suddenly be on the evening news. >> she was very gifted. i remember because i was nervous because she traveled so little. when i heard her write, saw her writing, listened to her voice, i said well, this is a wonderful combination. >> i'd had a permanent right before i got there, badly

damaged my hair and had to chop it all off. they thought they hired this woman with long, flowing hair and they got this girl with short, damaged hair. about two weeks later they sent me to the west bureau. >> she wasn't whipping in there as the glamour girl with high heels and makeup. she was a working reporter when she arrived. we did influence her a little in that regard. >> he really critiqued my piece. usually starting by, "i like this, but --" >> producer's job is to bring out the talent in some people. that doesn't usually for me mean shouting and yelling and arguing. it just means gently encouraging with suggestions and help. >> to have the top guy show that he has confidence in you and make you feel like you're part of this and you are as equal as anybody else, that goes a long way. >> i learned from her, as much as the other way around. >> za sir howard stringer is the chairman, chief executive officer and president of sony corporation. a position that keeps him constantly on the go.

hey, howard. i was especially fortunate to catch up with him recently at sony's new york headquarters. good seeing you. you've done very well. >> and you haven't changed. >> oh, yes, i have. >> you've done pretty well yourself. >> it had been at least three years when we'd spoken when sir howard called to congratulate me on joining the "today" show. >> were you surprised that i asked you to be my mentor? >> i was delighted, yeah. who knows who remembers what. a lot of time for a lot of different mentors over your life. >> reporter: within minutes i discovered just how much he has influenced my life. so i hear that you claim that you set richard and me up on our first date. >> i remember richard asking me about you. it was in the newsroom. and i gave you an unqualified endorsement. >> you did? >> i did. i did. >> it worked out, howard. >> yeah, it did. you have a seriously long

marriage. >> i do. >> and a lot of children. >> yeah, three. that's 2 for 2 for you. >> yes. >> i think you just have this quality about you that you're very giving to people, not to put you on the spot, but i think people knew that they could approach you, you were very approachable and i think that you wanted to help young people. >> i really enjoy the company of great talent. yours, harry smith, i had quite a lot to do with. i've had a lot of time with diane sawyer. >> we'll edit that out. once a mentor, always a mentor. any advice you could give me now? >> you don't need any anymore. >> oh, yes, i do. we always need some. >> i think re-evaluating your own performance is critical because it comes easily to you now. >> i'm not sure that it does. i still anks over stuff. >> that's good. >> that's a good thing? >> a little anxiety before performance is always a guarantee you're not complacent and you don't take it for granted. >> so last june it put together a 12-member fact finding team. >> reporter: having howard stringer as my mentor helped me

find myself in this industry. he didn't give me the voice but he helped me nurture it and define it, develop it. by being there to listen to it. >> she was in many ways one of the pioneers of women on air anyway. it was impressive, she's her own person and always has been. >> you were everything to me. and i appreciate everything you did for me. i really do. >> oh, bless you. but i tell you, it was a pleasure and now it is a privilege. >> thank you. >> he does work for sony so i had to ask for a television. i didn't get one though. not allowed to get tvs. >> very nice. >> absolutely. we have him to thank, really, because it is a pleasure to work with you. i think he really was spot-on in what he said about you. >> thank you. but he really was a mentor to a lot of people. that was important to him. one of his mentors when he was a young producer doing cbs reports

was walter cronkite. >> he really nurtured. he has that nurturing, giving, paying it forward, too. >> what about in your own lives? do you guys have people that jump out at you as mentors? >> don brown. jeff zucker. teachers. more than anybody else, my father because my father basically said, ann, go out there and show them what a curry can do. >> that picture -- >> may not be the best picture. sew them what a curry can do. >> but he always, that kind of unconditional love. >> not to brownnose, but i have to say you two are pioneers for women in this industry. i always look to you two as working moms who have made it work well. >> that is so nice. >> definitely you two are mentors and people i look up to. and my mom, too. i mean she was something who worked when she had to and raised a family and she did it

right. she knew how to live life. >> and al? >> yeah, obviously my dad, but professional, i'd have to say willard. willard scott took me under his wing. >> did he? >> yeah. 1978 when i started in washington, d.c. and he has been -- i can honestly say, i would not be here on the "today" show if it was not for willard. >> it's always somebody that helps prop you up and it is our obligation to do it. it doesn't take much. just good job is enough to inspire someone. speaking of that, tomorrow we'll talk about inspirations and ann, you're going to talk about a legendary reporter who was your inspiration. we'll be right back right after this. - ( funk music playing ) - let's put a few thousand kilowatts in a vise.

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trilipix. there's more to cholesterol. get the picture. now to the issue of interoffice relationships raised by david letterman's admitted affairs. in this this day and age, what are the rules? here's nbc's chris jansing. >> reporter: through 27 years on late night tv, david ledder man remained a notoriously private star which is why his very public revelation on thursday came as such a surprise. >> i have had sex with women who work for me on this show. now, my response to that is, yes, i have. >> reporter: the admission brought on by an extortion attempt put the man behind the desk in the hot seat. >> you would think that these lessons would be learned from prior example, but it seems that we keep repeating the same mistakes. >> reporter: for years,

letterman had used other's romantic entanglement for laughs, from bill clinton to bill o-riley. now letterman's the punch line. >> if you came here tonight for sex with the talk show host, you're in the wrong studio. >> there's a new book out called "why women have sex." letterman knows the top ten. >> reporter: funny stuff, but not everybody's laughing. workplace romances may be common but they can also be complicated, especially when one of the people involved is the boss. letterman isn't just the star of late night. he owns the company that produces it and one of the women involved is stephanie burkett, a former intern and personal assistant to dave who ended up making frequent on-air appearances. >> i love it. >> even if the relationship is perfectly consensual between the superior and subordinate, there's still third parties out there, other employees who are concerned i'm being

disadvantaged because i'm not willing to do what the employee who's going to bed with you is willing to do. >> reporter: which may be why letterman, after the jokes, turned serious. >> hope to protect my job. >> reporter: all of it raising a serious question. with 40% of people admitting to workplace affairs, what are the real dangers of cupid in the cubicle? for "today," chris jansing, nbc news, los angeles. >> psychiatrist dr. gail saltz, a "today" contributor and nicole williams, "girl on top, turning dating rules into success." careerbuilder.com says 8 million americans enter into a work romance every year and that 42% have dated their boss. does the fact that it happens all the time make it okay? gail? >> absolutely not. does happen a lot but it doesn't mean there aren't big psychological pitfalls and a lot of fallout that can happen at the office. people get angry. they feel envious. people who do it get robbed of their feeling of confidence. did i get this promotion because

i'm really good or did i get this promotion because i slept with the boss? >> or did you not get the promotion because so and so slept with the boss. right, nicole? >> that's a great question. yes, there is hostility that's built. i agree with gail, it is about your personal feeling of confidence in actual output at work but really, it is also about the people around you who are envious, who are questioning whether or not you really have talent or if you just got the promotion because you bedded the boss. >> you two are backing the argument we've been hearing that it creates a hostile work environment. it is interesting though that men don't have that same view. about the letterman case anyway, men are saying how could he be -- if in fact it is true -- extorted by someone in his own company. but women seem to be saying this. why women? >> i think because women are in the position of feeling that it is most often that a man is the boss, still today, and they're feeling that the man has the power, the man has -- maybe they want to be appreciated, admired, they want to be -- have some of that power, too.

so unconsciously it may motivate a woman to do something that really isn't great for her, isn't great for her career, and i think women are aware of this, that they can be drawn into something that maybe isn't so smart for them. >> so the idea is that it creates this unlevel playing field, it's difficult for the women to even say no? >> yeah, absolutely. especially when there is a reporting relationship. can you imagine saying no to a potential advance? there are policies, legislation out there protecting people, but i think by an large, there is a social feeling of indebtedness that can sometimes lead a young woman to do something that they don't want to do. >> we'll certainly -- this is not the end of this. i'm certain we'll hear much more about this. thank you so much for helping us understand a little bit more about this issue. i'm certai live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning.

i am mindy basara. a prominent baltimore rabbi convicted of sexually molesting a woman half his age is once again accused of inappropriate behavior cou. five are women allege that he touched them in a sexual manner and success of commons or in some cases did both. -- and it suggested comments or in some cases did both. his attorney says he is innocent. >> up on i-95, that one coming in, watch for delays. delays on the north and west side. southbound j.f.x. backing down just south of the beltway. on the elderly and northeast side, we're getting word of an accident coming in there. heavy delays perhaps back to philadelphia road. 21 minutes as a mentor down towards 95. 13 minutes on the outer loop

rookies signed. -- outer loop northeast side. looking pretty good here, but that is deceiving, because of the accident prior to this on belair road. >> it local this morning. a nice start to the workweek nonetheless. this afternoon, mostly sunny skies, upper 60s to low 70's. tens of showers back into the forecast on tuesday night and wednesday morning. upper 60s on thursday. chance for rain in to next weekend. >> we will have another update at 8:55.

♪ 8:30 now on this monday morning, october 5th, 2009. some of new york's greatest have paid us a visit this morning. we will find out why members of the fdny have stopped by in just a moment. also ahead, ladies, do either of you start the day with a -- not with a bowl of men, with a bowl of cereal? >> wait a minute! >> stop it. speaking of cereal, it could be a healthy option but i stress, a lot of cereals are so loaded with sugar, it is as if you had a pile or a plate of cookies. we'll show you how much sugar -- there you go. >> my goodness! >> that would be like having -- >> that's a year's worth of cereal. we'll show you how to get the right cereals into your tummy.

and also coming up, we'll be talking to an expert designer about her insider secrets to saving 70%, 80%, even 90% on quality furniture. okay. also kate gosselin's going to be back. meredi meredith, you talked to her earlier about her relationship with her soon-to-be-ex, jon gosselin. she's going to be back. >> because there is a lot we didn't get to. she's back in the next half-hour. al is across the street with a special guest. >> thanks, guys. to help us kick off fire prevention week 2009, joining me lieutenant anthony mancuso, and some of the firefighters from the firehouse at 48th and 8th avenue. lieutenant, good to see you. what are some things families need to know going into fire prevention week? >> the best thing is a working smoke alarm. have to have a working smoke alarm. change the battery twice a year

when you change the clock and test it once a month. >> what about having a plan? should families have an escape plan in case fire breaks out in their home? >> definitely. you got to have a plan, you should have a meeting place where everybody meets. the big thing is you want to get the whole family together and show the children what's going on, how to get out of the house or apartment, and it shouldn't be a surprise. we should plan this and so they know what to do. >> what are some of the big household hazards that people have that are kind of, in a sense, ticking time bombs in their home? >> the biggest thing especially with this cold snap, everybody wants to use a space heater sometimes. electric space heater, we should never have with an extension cord. it should be plugged directly into an outlet. we never want to use it at night. we want to eheat the room up, then shut it off and unplug. the biggest thing is electrical. of course, watch our cooking and smoking in the house as well.

>> for more information, where can they find out more information on fire prevention week? >> you can call us at 718-281-3870 if you want to do a fire safety presentation. it is a free program from the new york city fire department. >> check with your local fire department as well for fire prevention week. first of all, hello from each of these guys. >> doing. >> hello, america. >> hello. hello. >> how you doing. >> i like it, firefighters, men of few words. lots of action, few words. let's check your weather. thanks, guys. see what's going on. we'll show you for today, we're looking at a big snowstorm in the rockies. got rain through central plains, rain in new england and a lot of wet weather through the southeast. for tomorrow, risk of strong storms, texas into arkansas. wet weather in the ohio river valley. out west, gorgeous, plenty of sunshine, mild conditions. nice here in the northeast with some mild weather. we're looking for some showers working their way into the mid-atlantic states. al

>> looks like the weather is going to be nice and quiet on this monday. a mixture of sunshine and clouds out there. high temperatures range from the upper 60s in the northern suburbs to low 70's down south. >> and that's your latest weather. meredith? al, thank you very much. up next, upscale furniture from bargain basement prices. an insider's secret to paying

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this morning on "today's consumer," paying less for quality furniture. our consumer correspondent janice lieberman is a contributing editor to "reader's digest" and she got a top designer to spill the beans. >> this is a step everybody needs to know. in this economy paying retail just makes no sense. so what do they know that we don't? we followed expert designer jeff wey to find out. the first secret -- buy floor samples. >> when you walk into these stores, furniture stores, they're always done in the different vignettes with little rooms put together. rugs, pillows, bedspread. everything that you see here is available for sale off the floor at a huge discount. another 55% off. >> next, shop furniture outlets. >> there are outlet stores around the country that sell the highest quality furniture at prices that are 80%, 90% below what you would have to pay at a shop.

this gem would retail for around $5,000, plus shipping, plus tax, plus delivery. which will bring it up to probably around $6,000. >> how much? >> $500. >> come on! >> reporter: you can also shop online for outlet sales and request them to e-mail you deals. a furniture outlet in north carolina is a favorite because it carries just about everything. >> you can click out the outlet section which changes on a day-to-day basis. they have to get rid of old inventory. they'll mark it down. here is a wonderful jackson carter mirror. i've seen this mirror, it's fantastic. the retail price of this mirror is $790. the sale price is $99. >> that's a great deal! >> reporter: another secret -- estate sales. >> that is one of the -- my favorite ways of getting incredible pieces of art, crystal, silver, furniture. anything that you can think of. >> reporter: don't forget the consignment shops. a designer fave. >> there are a lot of people

today that are moving and they decide that they want to have a new furniture and get rid of their old which is perfectly good furniture and they'll sell it through consignment shops. it is a king headboard, footboard and there are rails that go with it. it is made up of leather and wood and then it has steel finials on it. it is very tommy bahama like, which is a very hot look today. this is priced at $199. which is absolutely insane in my opinion. >> reporter: one of his most well kept secrets yet, fabric warehouses. some hold discounted public sales only twice a year. >> today we're at the brunswick and theiss headquarters where you can get the most unbelievable buys imaginable. today i brought with me a piece of fabric for a client that i'm trying to find koord ncoordinato with. this is a green mohair. >> it's beautiful! >> this fabric retails for

around $320 a yard. >> you how much do we get it for? >> $5 a yard. >> $320 a yard for $5 a yard! that's crazy. >> this is amazing. >> reporter: you can even get wallpaper at this sale. >> this is one of their most popular. it sells for $90 a roll. an average bath is going to run you anywhere between seven and eight rolls. so let's do the math on that. we're talking between $600 and $700. they are selling this for guess how much? >> how much? >> $2 a roll. >> my gosh! >> that means you can buy the paper for your bathroom, for $15. that's unheard of. >> reporter: hey, you can always use it for wrapping paper at those prices. it's true. you need to be a smart shopper. everything we're sitting on, thousands of dollars of for each item at this brunscwick and fij

warehouse. even if you had to get a ticket and fly to the sale, you'd be way ahead. he took some of this fabric, like crazy, $1 a yard, had it framed and there's a picture. >> here's the thing. i'm getting very excited about the prices. but you can get so excited about the prices that you can make some mistakes, can't you? >> i've made tons of mistakes. you get carried away with how cheap it is and you get home and the scale or color isn't right. before you go to a warehouse sale take the measurements you need with you, take the color chart of your paint and take a pillow with you. the way he did and match it up to make sure that you're not going to come home with a bad mistake. >> sample size, best way to find them? sample sales? >> warehouse sales. boyle's. there's a lot of stuff out there. >> thank you so much, janice lieberman. next, the skoopt on just how

>> announcer: "today's heart health" is brought to you by abbott. a promise for life. this morning on "taking health to heart today," making better cereal choices. today contributor nutritionist joy bauer has the scoop on getting the most from your breakfast bowl. joy, good morning to you. a lot of people aren't sure about cereal, whether it is heart healthy or it isn't. in many cases it is. right? >> yeah. even the right cereal in the morning is a super simple way to give your body a dose of whole grains. and we know whole grains provides us with fiber and fiber then in turn reduces the risk for heart disease, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and there is even a recent study out of harvard that shows men who regularly eat whole grains are less likely to develop high blood pressure. so it's all good. >> but not all cereals are

created equal. we are standing behind some that you say are way too heavy in sugar. >> oh, my gosh. the cereals that we're showing, plus many other cereals that we find in the market are literally a combination of pure, straight sugar and refined white flour. and, yeah, they're fortified with a handful of vitamins and minerals but it doesn't undo the fact that you're basically eating dessert for breakfast. >> if have you this every day for a year, what will that do to your health? >> it is not great. it's going to cause havoc on your internal blood sugars. you take in a dose of sugar, you get a spike, then you get a crash, and you're left feeling irritable, moody, lethargic and hungry. it is not a way to start a day at the office or send our kids off to school like that. >> i just fill a bowl with cereal which is more than one serving to begin with. >> this is an appropriate serving. it is three-quarter to one cup

dry and it is very measly. most people don't pour this size, they pour this size. this is double that amount. so this is 1 1/2 cups to 2 cups, the equivalent of six teaspoons of straight sugar. >> in just that one "serving." >> in the double serving. and, to drive the point home, it's the equivalent of six chocolate chip cookies. so you just sat down and had dessert for breakfast. and because many people have breakfast cereal as a religion in the morning, if you have this type of a cereal five days a week at the end of the year, guess what, meredith? over 1,600 chocolate chip cookies. >> oh, my gosh! on the hips. that is unbelievable. >> it is crazy. think about what it does to your insides. it is not a great way to start your morning. >> what you have to learn first an foremost, how to read a label. when we see labels on the back of serial boxes, what should we look for? >> very simple. three things. first, scoot right down to the fiber. you want at least three grams of

fiber per serving. this one has five. a-plus. now zip down to the sugars. no more than eight grams of sugar per serving. this one has five. again, two thumbs up. lastly, go to that ingredient panel and the first item should have 1 of 3 words -- "whole," "oats" or "bran." whole indicates it is automatically a whole grain. oats is already a whole grain. and bran is that outer tough portion of the grain that has a lot of fiber to offer this product. so it is all good. >> all of thieves cereals would fit that bill. >> yes. and the good news is, look how many are in the market! not only do these cereals fit my criteria, but i taste tested them with kids, with teens, with adults. and they passed with flying colors. and they're all listed on the website. so i'm hoping people go to the web. >> find a good choice. >> yes. >> in terms of the well-balanced breakfast, if you want cereal,

cereal plus what? what would you put with it? >> cereal, make sure it is one serving with either skim milk or a 1% low-fat milk and top it with a fruit, like sliced bananas or maybe one or two tablespoons of raisins. if you want more volume with your breakfast, have the fruit on the side. an orange, a grape future, a sliced apple. >> all sound advice. and tons of cereal, which is the good news. >> delicious cereals. >> delicious cereals from joy bauer. up next, should you share your e-mail pass cord word with your partner. married couples tell all. but first, this is "today"

this morning on our special series quarterback "married couples tell all," what you should and shouldn't tell your husband. we talked about touchy subjects like going to bed mad and sharing passwords. those two are happily married, though not to each other. >> so true. >> talk about in-laws. that's a big one. we have a videotape of one of our couples. let's listen. >> i'm frank. >> i'm victoria. >> we've been married a little over six years. >> my name is martin. >> my name is eileen. >> we've been together for 15 years, married for four. >> i'm kerry. >> i'm john. >> we've been married eight years.

>> i think it is really important to have a great relationship with your in-laws. there is a huge part of your spouse's family. >> if you don't have a good relationship, if there's tension there, if you're taking something away from your kids as much as yourself. >> our in-laws are polar opposites. his father is very hands-off. sometimes we have to call him up, are you still alive, pa? then a day does not go by where my mother doesn't call, make sure we ate dinner and go to church. >> they're probably around here somewhere. >> if i'm upset with my in-laws, i go directly to them. >> if i have a problem with my in-laws, i've never approached it. they kind of just know. i just go away. when i come back, it's all over an everyone's happy. >> it is really not awkward at all. >> you've got to establish boundaries. right? >> yes, you do. you always have to prioritize the marriage and you have to prioritize your spouse. >> really make sure -- you love your in-laws because you got to love your in-laws for the good of your family. chuck? >> my philosophy is the best way to deal with in-laws is to marry

an orphan. >> oh, no! >> no, i'm joking! no, here's the deal. >> it can be hard. >> i think you present a united front. that's it. it's like, look, this is my husband, this is my wife. we are a team now so i don't care who we're dealing with, you got to be aware of that. then, try not to deal with your in-laws as much as possible. you know? i think distance is good. distance is good. >> moving far away. go right. >> let's take a look at another major issue, sleeping, going to sleep mad. let's take a listen to the tape. >> it doesn't happen often and so when i'm angry i'm like i don't care what happensfy don't speak to him ever again. then you fall asleep and you wake up in the morning, and you're like, god, that was so stupid. >> sometimes you need a good sleep before you realize, maybe i was wrong for the first time. >> frank has to figure it out right away. whereas i don't want to climb into bed before i'm ready to discuss it because things can come out of your mouth that you'll regret later.

>> i've never had to sleep on the couch. i just have to suffer through her time to get over this. >> but i think the most important thing. just because i'm mad at you doesn't mean i don't love you. >> yeah, but i thought we were told never to go to sleep mad. i've lost a lot of sleep on this idea! >> we all have. no, no, you can go to sleep angry because couples usually fight about little things when you get home from work and you're tired. just like when a little child is cranky and they have a tantrum, you get mad and are emotional, then you get angry, then you have an emotional argument instead after rational argument. >> okay, little child. >> i am the child, believe me. i know what she's saying. i say it is going to go to sleep mad, just make angry love. that's all. matter of fact, this could be a very, very good aid to your marriage. matter of fact, you might find yourself having arguments just for the heck of it. why are you mad at me? i need something! >> well, i'm always scared that something's going to happen or that i'm going to make the

person feel bad -- my husband. i'm always kind of struggling with that. we've got the green light. it is okay, take a deep breath. last one, sharing your password or not. let's listen. >> i don't want to get involved with his e-mail. i don't want to hear about fishing and where the fish were stuck under the rocks. it's like fish porn. i've seen them, you showed them to me, i'm out. >> yeah, but, conversely, i don't want to read your e-mails either. >> we don't share our passwords. >> i've never really had any desire. i think that really more speaks to just our communication and our trust. >> i couldn't care less if he looks through my accounts or my e-mail because i have absolutely zero to hide. >> and she set up all my accounts on my e-mail and facebook so i really don't have a lot of choice. >> chuck, what do you think? >> here's the way i feel. it's silly to share e-mail passwords. there has to be someplace of autonomy in a relationship.

there has to be a place where also you give someone an opportunity to trust you. it's like i trust you, i don't need your e-mail. plus when you open someone else's mail it is a federal offense. okay? so -- no, i'm joking there. that's a little hyperbolic. but the is it gives you the opportunity to trust one another an just because somebody gives you their e-mail password, doesn't mean they don't have any secret e-mail account. >> doctor, you agree? >> i do agree. trust is not created by checking. >> thank you so much. >> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. and anne arundel county police officer is recovering from an injury at a traffic stop that ended in gunfire the officer pulled up for a driver of the

prince george's county line. during the stop, some type of struggle ensued, forcing the officers to shoot the driver. police said that the charges against the driver are pending. back in a minute with a check on today's fo hi. i'm a plug. did you know that when you turn off your computer, tv or video game, i still suck up energy? i can't help it. it's like if i put a milkshake in front of you

and told you not to drink it. not to mention all the peer pressure i get from my pals. (random voices) c'mon. wahooo. pull the plug or turn off your powerstrip before we turn it into a party strip. somebody say party strip? [announcer] learn to speak the language of energy efficiency at bgesmartenergy.com. hey, waitress. more energy... >> let's take a look at the forecast. >> nice monday coming up here. it will be a nice afternoon. kind of cool this morning, but the temperatures will make it into the upper 60s and low 70's. tonight, partly cloudy skies, temperatures back into the 40's. >> see you back here for 9:25.

they make little hearts happy... ...and big hearts happy too. because as part of a heart healthy diet,... ...those delicious oats in cheerios can help naturally lower cholesterol. (cheerios spilling) cheerios. how can something so little... ...help you do something so big. "todayon