the $2.5 million he got paid working at a lobbying firm. or the fact ehrlich worked for the casinos to put slots at arundel mills mall. now, bob...that's all true. back with more on "today" on thursday morning, october 7th, 2010. we take part on the plaza of reading, an effort to promote early childhood literacy and early education. we have amanda petitiat up ther reading, bill cosby, the mayor, all the people getting across

that if we read to kids, it helps them in their eccal career. al roker on the plaza, talking about stories and this make you feel good and this makes you cringe. >> you and i are kind of germaphobes anyway. the five germiest places, from the shopping cart to handbag, bacteria all around us, waiting to get us. you won't believe which of these things has more bacteria than a toilet seat. >> i will go with that one right there. that soap thing. >> i bet you. if you think you can't afford a family vacation. think again. our good buddy is here and will track out fun packages from travel & leisure magazine so you can have fun with the gang. >> patti labelle looks so cool, the coolest coat on i have ever seen. look at patty. >> she looks comfy. >> she does. let's get a check at he

headlines. natalie is in while ann is on assignment. >> people in parts of arizona assessing the damage trying to recover from four tornadoes at least, that hit the state on wednesday. there could be more severe weather today in utah and colorado. today, the war in afghanistan is entering its 10th year, more than 1200 u.s. troops have died there since the war began. this morning, president karzai hosted the inaugural session of a new peace council to reconcile the taliban and other insurgents. today, pakistan says it will not reopen a border with afghanistan despite an apology after a helicopter attack that killed two pakistani soldiers. there were more attacks on nato trucks trying to bring fuel through that border crossing to troops in afghanistan. asking mexico's president for help finding the body of an american tourist whose wife says

he was killed by mexican pirates. they tossed flowers on the border lake where he was shot last week. a grand jury perform an investigation into former proposal candidate john edwards whether campaign finances was used to keep an affair quiet. accusing the obama administration of blocking efforts of scientists to tell the public how bad the gulf of mexico oil spill could become. the administration disputes the commission's findings. new figures show first time claims for unemployment dropped last week to their lowest level in almost three months. unemployment levels for september come out tomorrow. some unusual prenatal care in washington. where the national zoo is expecting a baby giant anteater any day now. a vet from the zoo did an

ultrasound and said you could see the baby, including his long nose in that ultrasound. very cute. now to matt. kind of like your ultrasound with the long nose. >> very nice, natalie. just stand here and take it. you saw it coming? >> i knew it was coming. >> revenge is a dish best served cold. >> like a drive-by there. what was that? i don't understand it. we have nice folks out here. what's your name? >> i'm laurie. >> where are you from? >> pennsylvania. >> having a nice time? >> a great time. >> it is. but more for us in the summertime. let's see what's happening. we will show you wet weather in the northeast as low pressure moves away. finally, nice weather and we have still storms from the southwest where they had tornadoes. four tornadoes in arizona yesterday. they get four for the entire year on average. look for slight risk in four

corners area, wet weather in the interior northwest, lots of sunshine from the plains to the gulf coast and ohio, mississippi river valley and >> off to a nice, quiet start this thursday morning. generally a mostly sunny day. much warmer. now, to our fifth annual "read for the record today," where we promote literacy for children, joined by grammy award winning multi-platinum broadway

star mispats patti labelle. you read earlier. why was it so important to be part of this? >> i have children, four adopted and one natural. they all learned to read when they were tots. sometimes, the kids today might not have the resources to get education, you know, early in their lives. it's my job to promote and do as much as i can, even with bill cosby, teaching him how to read. these kids are so appreciative. we have to do something for their future so they can have a bright tomorrow. >> looking out and seeing their faces, how did that feel? >> they were so cute, and when we laughed, they laughed and learning as they laughed. >> you just had to learn a new role, on broadway? >> i'm there with two great lead

guys. it's the best play. >> you play taylor's mom. >> i'm his mother. i'm loving -- people are saying, can you do it for five months? yes, i can. important to get the story out and show great dancers and singers and show people they're on broadway. lots of things. >> patti labelle, thank you so much for helping us read and we will come see you on broadway. >> please, i will even buy your tickets. >> hey, now, you can't beat that. patti labelle will buy my tickets. >> and your wife's. >> thank you. >> offer you can't refuse there, al. thank you. today, on this morning's health, the five germiest places in your life, with cold and flu season knocking on your door, good to be wear what's lurking around us. a "today" contributor, dr. raj, good morning. let's get to this cringe worthy

list. they're everywhere, as we know. especially not just inside our homes, the number one offends is the good old clicker, tv remote? >> exactly. everyone is touching that in your house, a magnet for germs. we're talking about e.coli and salmonella, flu virus, everything is there. you're using them. if someone is sick especially, they will probably watch more tv when they're sick. >> exactly. >> you want to wipe it down daily with a disinfectant wipe. people in high-tech kitchens, watching tv when cooking, a bad idea, touching raw meat, you don't want to be touching your remote because you can transfer bacteria that's dangerous. >> yoew. and handbags on the floor and end up pretty filthy. >> first, never put it on the floor, especially if you're in a

bathroom or doctor's office, hospital, you do not want to be carrying those germs back with you. make sure your back is not too heavy, not good for you anyway because you're less likely to put it on the floor. not just talking about the outside, the inside can be very germy. loose money, paper bills. a flu virus can survive on paper bill 17 days. you think about paper, it's exchanging hands all the time. keep it in your wallet so the rest of your han bag is not infected. >> we all know phones are pretty bad when it comes to germs. did not know they carry 500 times more bacteria than a toilet seat. exactly. >> really? >> shocking but true. >> the problem is we're using our phones more than ever, not just for phone calls, texting, e-mailing, touch a doorknob, touch your phone, touch an elevator button, touch your phone and sheing the cute new

baby picture we're sharing. >> wipe them down as well. also shopping carts, they make the baby covered things for a reason. 8 in 10 carts carry the e.coli bacteria. >> again, the handles are probably the worst part. everyone's touching them. you don't want to put raw produce without a plastic bag in the cart. when you get back, make sure you wash your hands and everything you got, like produce carefully. >> soap dispensers, that's a good thing. but when you have the soap in the dish there, it's congealing the bacteria? the way you get around it, if you do wash your hands for a long period of time. the rule of thumb is you can sing happy birthday, you probably got rid of germs you picked up from the dispenser. >> or use the liquid. better. >> reminder, anti-bacteria wipes. good thing to invest in.

>> you want to check the alcohol content. really needs to be 60% to be effective. make sure it is. >> too much of it can be dry, right? >> i hope everyone is not getting too scared and use it every five minutes, that won't be good. if you dry out your skin, that will make your more prone picking up germs. use it sparingly but washing your hands with soap and water is the best. >> dr. raj, good information and disgusting at the same time. thank you. coming up next, from a beach get away to historic setting, five family friendly get aways to fit your budget. later on, we hit the streets to find out what real women are doing right when it comes to fashion. we are celebrating you. first these messages.

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travels deals for more bang for your buck. good to see you. >> good to see you. >> there are packages out there you can be looking into for a whole family deal. >> it's all about dollars and cents. when you book a package, you get a more attractive offer, the hotel and activities. the key thing, if you want to book a package, be sure you want the add-ons so you're not paying extra. >> they're all under 250 bucks. >> can you believe that? for a family? >> is there a limit of the family size? >> if you have a family of 18, that mormon family, no. >> do-gooders do not apply. first, we have the hotel marlo, cambridge, boston, massachusetts. >> cambridge is lovely this time of the year, october. the charles amazing rowing race if you want to go for that. it's a boutique property that has a great tongue and cheek attitude, very pet friendly and kid friendly.

kids get adorable print robes and amenities, wonderful. they have a great package called the kids' planet "discovery" and get tickets to the museum and breakfast, and under 250s, $229 a night. >> to williamsburg lodge in williamsburg, virginia. a great place. >> i'm glad you say it's a great place. it is. it brings history to kids, if they're earning history, you tack them there to learn the experience of what happened in colonial times. they have had a drop in visits and made efforts to make it more entertaining. the lodge has had a two year complete renovation. you will be in the lap of luxury there and kids have a great time. a great place to go for halloween. they do a haunted tavern tour to hear the ghost stories.

and $229 a night for your stay including breakfast. >> if they're old enough, you can leave the kids in the room and go to the spa that's spectacular. >> you can leave them in the room, is that okay? >> if they're old enough. not with a bowl of kibble or anything. now, to palm springs. palm springs, beginning of winter, it's still warm there and the hyatt grand champion resort is a great place to go. they have seven pools. the kids' pool has a 60 foot spiral water slide. >> cool. you got to like that. >> exploring the desert package, you can go on a desert safari so you don't have to go to africa, pet giraffes, go to the animal hospital to appreciate them taking care of their pets and pizza picnic, under $250 a night. >> when we think florida, we

normally think orlando for vacation. you say think again? >> sanibel and captiva is a place people should consider, in the gulf of florida, beautiful, beautiful location. if you want to hunt for seashells, you can do that. take sailing lessons, the south seas island resort, don't have to go all the way to south seas, $145 a night, four nights for the cost of three, 20% off your meals, throw in sailing and water sports and i think you have breakfast, too. ? that's pretty good. >> $149 per night for the family. >> this last one is a real surprise for venice, italy. >> i love it. kids get the experience of seeing it in real life. they see it in books and school. why not go to venice for 249 dollars a night. >> that's crazy. >> especially the way the euro

the way it is. this used to be a monastery, a private island. you get airport transfer. and have a swimming pool, if it's warm enough and get discounts at local boutiques and buffet breakfast for under $240 a night. >> you're in italy. >> angelado. do i have to say anymore? get traveling, al roker. >> right now? you want me out of here right now. thanks a lot. coming up, what's your street style. we check out the latest trends real women are wearing everyday. first, these messages for you.

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we're back with another friend of jump-start's read director, actress amanda peat. >> she's been reading to our friends and reading "this snowy day." thank you for being here. >> thank you. i'm glad to be here. it's one of my favorite books as a child. >> why did you want to get involved? i know you have two small girls. >> i was thinking last night, we were doing our book signing and i go to their room and choose three books for tonight and we always have a fight about that. 61% of families in low income neighborhoods don't ha have -- right. >> don't have any to choose

from, don't have any age appropriate books. that's part of what's contributing to this achievement gap. between children and their more affluent peers in terms of coming to kindergarten with enough literacy skills and jumpstart is an intervention program they send volunteers. there's no more wonderful program. >> so true. >> more important program, i think. >> the goal today, to have 2.5 million people read the book as well. you are also starring in an off broadway play? >> yeah. >> tell us about it. >> it's "the break of noon" with lovely david decovney. i'm terrified. >> when does it open? >> october 28th. >> in rehearsal mode now. >> exactly. >> just before halloween, trick or treat.

>> always great to have you here and your daughter, frankie, too, enjoying the book as well. >> still ahead, good buddy giada de laurentiis. she's up in the kitchen and will be whipping up three soups, not one but three soups. they say breakfast helps kids be their best. we think it probably helps teachers be their best too. quaker instant oatmeal. now some of your favorites have 25% less sugar than before and delicious all natural flavors. so you can be amazing. does your breakfast make you amazing? so you can be amazing. ♪ your favorites, in pieces.

[ speaking spanish ] ♪ [ male announcer ] old el paso stand 'n stuff taco shells. old el paso. feed your fiesta. telling us "maryland is moving forward," "and moving maryland forward" this jobs report tells the truth maryland's economy stalled "we face an uphill struggle in trying to regain the jobs lost" o'malley attempts a cover-up, falsifying the jobs

report to help his campaign. "whatever we can do to make it disappear, we need to do it. that's coming straight from the top" martin o'malley, first he makes stuff up, when caught, he covers stuff up. we need a governor who tells the truth.

>> live, local, latebreaking. this is a wbal-tv 11 news update. >> our storm system is pulling away and we will see sunshine for a change. breezy and mild today. a little testy at times. 68 to 73 for the high. friday's hi, 74.

it is so hard to believe john lennon would have turned 70 this weekend, just in time to celebrate his birthday and a new book is coming out about the rock icon never before heard. join us tomorrow for a celebration of john lennon tomorrow on "today." >> my all time favorite song. meanwhile, coming up in this

half hour, real street style, fashion guru bobbie thomas tells us what everyday average women are doing right when it comes to style and you can learn from their example. upstairs, the lovely giada de laurentiis is hanging upstairs and making three delicious soups perfect for the cold weather you can whip up in no time and hearty enough to use as a meal. >> you want to get every bite. >> lovely. >> a grand event in grand rapids, michigan, making art part of every center, from banks to barns to salons, a lot of money at stake. >> that's cool. fantastic. first a check of the weather. the northeast will clear out eventually, we have a slight risk of storms in the four corners area and plains and great lakes. tomorrow, the sun returns to the northeast, northern new england

still have showers, rain in the afternoon in the pacific northwest. sunny and warm in the southwest and into the southeast and mild conditions northeast and into >> we are off to a nice, quiet start. we had a little bit of cloud cover in a few areas. oce the sunny and thank you, al. these two young ladies were very helpful to us. last year, they were here to read for the record and returned for another round because they had so much fun. >> jennifer stone of the disney channel's harriet the spy blog wars and madison penace, one of

the stars of "freestyle" and "corey is in the house." good to have you with us. you guy got read to these kids outside. what was that like for you? it must be really special. >> it's wonderful to see their faces light up. >> my mom used to read to me and changed my world when i was a kid. opens up whole new doors. >> when i was little, my mom read to me. "winnie the pooh" was my favorite story. >> and "a snowy day." >> we never had snowy days. i loved to read it. >> a good place to escape and imagine since we never experienced snowy days. >> it opens up your imagination. do you think that helped make you guys better actresses? >> of course. >> reading is so important. we read scripts all the time, having the imagination we had when we were little, reading all

the stories is so important now. >> acting is one thing. i like to say we're glorified kindergarteners. >> that's a good way to put it. all the actors out there appreciate that. great. congratulations again for helping us out today. hopefully 2.5 million readers will be logging in today. coming up, you have blog wars coming to dvd? >> i get to play a literary character. wonderful to bring that to life. it's on dvd now and a wonderful experience. >> for you, you have "the search for santa claus?" >> yes. coming out november 23rd, right in time for the holidays. >> perfect dvd presents for our families. >> thank you so much. >> come back next year, okay? make an annual event of it. >> jennifer, madison, thank you so much. more read nor the record and celebrity guests coming up at 10:00 with kathie lee and hoda.

don't forget to go to the todayshow.com for more information how you can participate. for street style, bobbie thomas will show you what you are doing right after this. yummy, yummy, yummy, i got love in my tummy ♪ ♪ and i feel like... [ female announcer ] kellogg's wants to make kids happy one tummy at a time. because 9 out of 10 kids don't get the fiber they need, that's why froot loops, apple jacks and corn pops have 3 grams of fiber in every yummy bowl. they're the cereals your kids love and the fiber their tummies love... which makes for a whole lotta happy.

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almond joy and mounds. enjoy more. get an extra 10% off mattresses already half off. plus instant rebates up to $300 on mattresses. and free delivery and haul away after mail-in rebate via prepaid debit card. hurry, it all ends monday sears. [ male announcer ] a big day deserves a better breakfast. choose from a dee-licious lineup of our newest $5 footlong breakfast melts, like the sunrise subway melt. [ strahan ] subway. build your better breakfast. with the $2.50 breakfast combo. get a 16oz. cup of piping-hot seattle's best coffee

and a savory new sunrise subway melt built fresh to your order for just $2.50. subway. build your better breakfast. this morning on "bobbie's style," freestyle. she hit the streets in search of stylish everyday looks in search of what real women are doing right. good morning. how refreshing rear celebrating. usually, we do these segments, what not to wear. you're showing us there are a lot of women out there doing the right thing for them. >> absolutely. fashion runways are great places for inspiration but me and you and kathie and hoda, we get to meet a lot of people. i've been crisscrossing the

country this weekend, in three states alon and decided to start popping out my cameras. i can't tell you how many times in new york city in the cab, that's how i can wear that. perfect. not only are women dressing great but breaking the rules and can inspire all of us. >> let's take a look. a lot of times, women ask that question, can you mix black and brown? does it clash or not. you found women doing the right thing. >> these are the most common questions get. i met a blogger in boston. what i really liked is she paired this really great brown bag you see with the black boots. you can see you can mix the black and brown together. it actually adds a little bit of softness. she could have worn a black bag with this but gave her a little bit more way to tie in the brick red to her bag. it adds another visual layer. >> softens up the look and adds more warmth.

>> more warmth. look how great this student looks. she doesn't know. we didn't tell everybody if they were in the final photos. she's on trend with this case. you can see it's a great trend. the black is underneath but the interesting part is this belt, a brown belt she mixed in. had she worn a black belt, it might have been a little costumy but added an unexpected swiss. >> she looks great. let's talk about women embracing color, starting off with brenda from houston, texas. >> i love brenda, a model in my fashion show. in between, she dressed herself in this. what i like is she has this great vibrant red hair. she doesn't use that as something she stays away from color. she embraces the bold color. you see this turquoise blue top with kelly green skirt. beautiful. some people might have tried to put a black top. it actually would have cut her

off. if you play with different colors in the same family. even if you don't have red hair, try that. >> makeup artist from atlanta. >> i was so excited when i saw ebony, i ran across the ballroom, wait, wait. the first thing she said to me, my dress is $2.50 from a thrift store. i love this. she really proved curves can handle pattern and look beautiful. i love on top, she didn't button it all the way and added this camisole. >> breaks it up. >> breaks up the pattern at your face and this great belt for the hourglass work. >> you love these women from georgia. >> fair hair and complexion, a great way to add a pop of color without a lot of makeup. i loved the neutral pants, didn't go with black or brown,

stayed with lighter neutral. >> they look wonderful. >> you stopped some women and added a couple things to their wardrobe. show us what they're doing to make it better. >> i literally stopped people at union square in new york. i loved her green bold bag. it was such a great idea. i thought, why not elevate the look. i showed her what it would look like if you added the signature print. it can work with the signature print. >> more on our website, todayshow.com. >> do you have a fabulous friend or modern mom or stylist sister who always seems put together, head to our touchdo"today" showd she may talk about you. coming up, the power of people. [ female announcer ] in the coming weeks and months,

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this morning, mike leonard gets artsy. this is about art being appreciated in everyday life and its power to change lives. >> reporter: in the grand scheme of life, impossible to calculate, quantify or measure exactly how much value art brings to a city and its people. in grand rapids, michigan, exact measurements aren't necessary. proof that something truly grand is happening. >> i have no idea how that will affect their lives going forward. how can it not be good? >> reporter: the founder of a 19 day international art competition/social experiment designed to in still in the general public a soaring sense of creative possibilities. >> the wind is making it so pretty. >> reporter: with over 1700 entrants, now in its second year, it hats transformed the city of grand rapids and

sculpture park into a public gallery of unprecedented size. >> this city has become a canvas. >> reporter: everywhere one looks, on the streets, the buildings, in banks, bars, beauty salon, hot dog joints, tattoo parlors and beyond, there is art. >> that's not- >> no. just glowing. >> and to something made from drinking straws to a life size pencil drawing of world war i cavalry officers, to a scattered collection of brightly painted outdoor pianos, beckoning to be played, a due yet of the masses that signifies what art is about, everyday men and women,

not a team of professional curators that determines who will take home the world's richest art prize of $250,000 with nearly a quarter million in secondary art money a staggering sum to people like mural list, jeff zimmerman, talented but financially strapped. >> most artists i know have a tough time making a living. >> yeah, they do. i'm included in that list. >> reporter: not that a lack of money would ever deter these folks from making art. >> because art is my life. i can't stop. >> this is my real passion. >> this is not just a job. this is what i do. >> the idea of getting a prize would be wonderful but the real prize would be able to be in this venue and show my art to show many people. >> reporter: including some who will never be the same. >> for a lot of people, it's a beginning step.

perhaps that first moment on progress to think about the arts in a more meaningful way. >> reporter: how does one judge the value of that? if you read the face, it's clear something quite magical has already taken place. for today, mike leonard, nbc news, grand rapids, michigan. >> that is really remarkable. the $250,000 prize winner will be announced tonight. coming up next, warm and hearty soup, courtesy of giada. first, nbc "today." hearty soup, courtesy of giada. first, nbc "today." she's cooking with l

i'm frank kratovil and i approve this message. the real andy harris. buried in his website - a promise to replace the tax code with a 23% sales tax and eliminate the mortgage interest deduction. a bush tax panel said families would pay $6,000 more a year. a reagan tax advisor calls it a very dumb idea. but that's not his only bad idea. harris was the only senator to vote against expanding the child care tax credit and against the state's cancer treatment program. andy harris' extreme ideas will cost us.

this morning on cook with giada, tasty and steamy to creamy. soups are a good meal for the cold months ahead. >> she's here with us. soup can be a meal, can't it? >> it can definitely be a meal. we'll start with my artichoke and in italian, it's soup. >> a twist on the chicken noodle

soup. >> correct. with a lot more flavor. >> we have lots of veggies, carrots and celery and an 81s and garlic and tomato paste and body and dried thyme and bay leaf and add chopped up basil. we will also add -- this is optional, of course, already crispy. >> if you don't have that, can you add regular bacon? >> yeah. but if you want extra flavor, why not? i add two chicken breaths, skin on and rib on, it adds flavor. >> you want a little fattiness. >> you want the ribs, because as it cooks for a while, it amendments into the soup. >> that's chicken stock? >> yes. you cover it. >> let them boil. >> and let it sit 30 to 40 minutes. the chicken gets cooked through. then we take the chicken out, and maybe, al, you can cut a

little chicken. basically cut the chicken off the bone. >> take the skin off and all that. >> then, some cantalini been, drained, rinse them off and they're perfectly fine. i do frozen artichokes. >> it's easier, right? >> you want it as easy as possible. >> other than get the artichokes and peel them. >> not worth it. >> the artichokes add meatiness and i like the bright flavor. you make a big batch and freeze half of it. >> that's a great idea. >> how do you serve this? >> i top it with extra virgin olive oil at the end and fresh basil. easy. >> that is a meal. >> salad, and you're done. >> over here, from san francisco, shrimp and sausage. i use turkey sausages but you can use whatever you want, and

use fennel and break up the sausage and cook it through. >> tomato paste? >> right. >> adds color and lots of flavor. bay leaf and thyme. you saute -- you can saute that. >> sure. >> saute that and mix it around. you want the tomato paste to melt into everything. >> the cantilini beans, any kind of bean you like. basil. everything is done and chopped up. at home -- >> takes a little more effort than that, usually, not that much more. >> a little bit of wine. >> white wine? >> absorb all the flavors at the bottom. the shrimp at the last minute. >> you're letting al do all the work here. >> and the broth. >> let it simmer how long? >> just until the -- >> you don't want it to get too rubbery. >> like five minutes. >> exactly. >> creamy. sweet potato and rosemary soup.

>> good. >> you cook the sweet potato and shallots with rosemary and chicken breast, puree it and add sweetness. >> i love you add this? >> yes. and at the end, you get nice creamy soup. three different soups for this weather. >> fantastic. we love when you're here. it's yummy. >> coming up, hoda and kathie lee catch up with bill cosby, patti labelle. >> after your coming weather.

>> live, local, latebreaking. this is a wbal-tv 11 news update. >> as morning, the sun came out.

with sunshine, it to the picture, the storm pulling out of the picture, we will have a nice day. a round 70 for the high. breezy and milder. breezy and milder. good weather will continue i'm frank kratovil and i approve this message. the real andy harris. his past attacks have been called deceptive, his new attack, false. harris voted for deregulation increasing our electric bills by 72% it's not surprising, harris always sides with the big guys. he opposes cracking down on wall street and supports tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas. harris even opposed making big insurance cover cancer screenings. andy harris' extreme ideas will cost us.