good morning. breaking news. three coordinated suicide bombings across afghanistan overnight. at least 58 people are dead and the worst attacks on civilians there in more than a decade. we're live in kabul. the moderator, two more gop presidential candidates agree to take part in donald trump's debate. will mitt romney join them or sit it out? like republican hopeful jon huntsman. this morning he explains why he said no. and tragic accident. a beautiful young model recovering this morning after walking off a small plane and into a spinning propeller. her parents will tell us how their daughter is doing today, tuesday, december 6th, 2011. captions paid for by nbc-universal television

and welcome to "today" on this tuesday morning. i'm ann curry. >> and i'm matt lauer. it's a bad scene in afghanistan. officials there believe that this wave of violence was timed specifically to mar the observance of a holy day in that country. >> that's right, matt. three separate attacks within minutes of each other, the deadliest of them in kabul as hundreds of worshippers gathered at a shiite shrine. let's go straight to atia abawi. >> reporter: good morning, ann. coordinated attacks in afghanistan are rare in itself but coordinated sectarian violence is pretty much unheard of in afghanistan. what we saw was the first attack taking place at a shrine in kabul. 50 people were dead, 150 people wounded. then there was an attack in the

north of afghanistan where four people were killed, also at a shrine and 21 wounded. in southern afghanistan, in kandahar, another blast. luckily no people were killed but six were wounded in that attack. what makes this very unique is the fact that they did attack during a shia holy day. many trying to mark a day in the shia religion where they are marking mourning really, the loss of imam hussein but what's really unique is the taliban sent an e-mail condemning the attack. they say this is a plot by the enemies of afghanistan that are trying to divide the afghan people and the afghan nation. >> obviously a very chaotic scene this. the story is still developing. thank you so much. it is now 7:02. now here's matt. now to presidential politics. newt gingrich is launching his first ads in iowa after his

face-to-face meeting with donald trump right here in new york. in a moment we'll talk about the state of the race with former utah governor jon huntsman. first nbc's political director and chief white house correspondent chuck todd has the latest. chuck, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, matt. call it newtmentum. another poll confirming newt gingrich's front runner status. not only is he surging in iowa, closing the gap in new hampshire but he's got a commanding lead in the state that has determined every republican nominee since 1980, south carolina. the new republican front runner, newt gingrich, campaigned in new york city on monday, saying he can put reliably blue states like new york in play next november. >> if i do become the nominee, we're going to compete in all 50 states. i don't believe in a red versus blue model. >> reporter: gingrich paid a visit to businessman donald trump, who has become an unusual power broker of sorts in this year's race. >> donald trump is a great showman. he's also a great businessman. if we are trying to figure out

how to create jobs, i think one of the differences between my party and the other party is we actually go to people who know how to create jobs. >> reporter: trump is said to moderate a republican debate. >> what the heck are the rip candidates doing showing up at a debate with a guy who says i may run for president next year as an independent? i think the republican national chairman ought to step in and say we strongly discourage every candidate from appearing at a debate moderated by someone who's going to run for president. >> reporter: that got a rise out of trump. >> karl rove gave us george bush and george bush crashed and burned and because of that we have obama. >> reporter: rick santorum, michele bachmann and newt gingrich of committed to the debate. ron paul and jon huntsman turned him down. >> ron paul has zero chance of getting the nomination. mr. paul called my office and then he went on the debate and

said i didn't meet with mr. trump like everybody else in the room. i'm sure he'll tell the truth because he's a mormon. >> reporter: mitt romney will be endorsed pie dan quayle today in arizona. as gingrich surges in the polls he is struggling to gain his infrastructure. his ad is set to start airing in iowa today. >> some people say the america we know and love is a thing of the past. i don't believe that. because working together, i know we can rebuild america. >> reporter: you know, the obama re-election campaign and the dnc have focused all their fire on mitt romney. that is up until yesterday. for the first time we heard from david axelrod and what he thinks about gingrich and he says this. you talk about the godfather of gridlock here, the guy who two decades ago invented the tactics that have become common place in washington. so, matt, maybe the obama

campaign will start focusing fire on newt. >> all right, chuck todd in washington. chuck, thanks very much. former utah governor and republican presidential hopeful jon huntsman joins us in the studio. good to see you, good morning. >> it's a pleasure to be here. >> let's figure out what's going on with this debate. donald trump says you called his office. he said you have very little chance of winning the nomination. he said you'll tell the truth because you're mormon. what is the truth, what happened? >> i called his office one time when he got out of the race, as i did tim pawlenty, just as a gesture of kindness. this is about jobs for the american people. this is a serious debate that we ought to be having here in the united states. it's about two deficits that we have, matt. we have an economic deficit and we have a trust deficit in this country. people no longer trust their institutions of power. they don't trust congress, they don't trust the executive branch, they don't trust wall street and this just adds to the cynicism. >> i'm happy to give you the

opportunity to say those things on the show, but why not appear on a stage on december 27th with donald trump as the moderator and as you've heard at least three other candidates stating their case. you know donald trump garners attention. you need attention. you're down in the polls. why not take it. >> we'll have a one-on-one debate with newt gingrich the right way. i believe that the presidency of the united states of america is beyond reality shows, matt. this is a joke. so you have two or three people go on and then mr. trump after will weigh in in terms of who he thinks he wants to support. this is about politics as show business. >> do you think it would be a mistake for mitt romney, who's one of the front runners, depending on what state you're looking at the polling in, to accept the invitation for this debate? >> as usual, mr. romney can't make a decision. he's weighing both sides and may flip-flop on this as well. all i can tell you is this leads to deeper and greater cynicism by the american people at a time when we need trust in our system. >> let me read you what eric erickson wrote. here's the funny thing about jon

huntsman. his record as a governor is more conservative than newt gingrich and mitt romney combined. he is more pro-life than either of them. he is more economically wedded to the free market than either of them. he has better foreign policy experience than either of them. huntsman should be a conservative hero in this race. yet i look at the polling and you are way, way down in the pack. what's the problem? >> we are moving up in new hampshire. >> 30 points behind the front runner. >> new hampshire always up-ends conventional wisdom every sipping el time. the reality is people are giving us a second look, a first look in some cases. largest tax cut in the history of my state. i'm running against a conservative flip-flopper. i'm running against a grandiose conservative. people are coming around to the reality that i'm a consistent conservative. >> so you have people right where you want them? if you look at the course of this race so far the conservatives have looked for an alternative to mitt romney. they started with michele bachmann. they went to perry, they went to

herman cain, now it's newt gingrich. why haven't they called your name? >> we have weeks left in this race. new hampshire is always the state that up-ends conventional wisdom. i have every belief given 115 public events we have done on the ground they will coaless around a consistent conservative and find us there. >> you're not even thinking about iowa there, right? your numbers are such that you didn't qualify for a debate this weekend. >> we were not even competing in iowa from the beginning. >> so what is the number you need to achieve in terms of voter response to you in new hampshire that keeps you in this race? >> we've gone from zero to low double digits. we need to exceed market expectations. we need a market mover and that's exactly what's happening in new hampshire. >> why? >> because our message is resonating. we're talking about congress needing term limits. we're talking about closing the revolving door for congressmen who go right into the lobbying profession, trading on their relationships and insider information. we're talking about banks in this country that are too big to

fail. no other candidate is going to take on congress. no other candidate is going to do what needs to be done with respect to the banking problem we've got. >> and you'll continue to talk about those things no matter what the results in new hampshire for your team? >> we will keep talking. >> all right. former governor jon huntsman. governor, it's nice to have you here in the studio. thank you very much. it's 10 minutes after the hour. savannah is at the news desk. in the news the future of federal aviation administration chief randy babbitt is uncertain. they are trying to decide how to handle his drunk driving arrest. he was spotted allegedly driving on the wrong side of the road in virginia. a former pilot himself, he aggressively cracked down on pilots flying under the influence and even held a recent press event with mothers against drunk drivers. he's been placed on a leave of absence. when asked about the absence, the white house press secretary reacted as you might expect.

rod blagojevich heads to a crucial sentencing hearing today. a federal judge is weighing his punishment after his conviction on 18 counts of corruption. blagojevich was accused of trying to sell off president obama's old senate seat. prosecutors will argue for 15 to 20 years of jail time. the judge's final decision is expected on wednesday. now to wall street. cnbc's mary thompson is at the new york stock exchange for us this morning. mary, i guess all eyes are on the euro zone today. >> that's right. because leaders face a new challenge today, keeping their credit ratings. as the leaders prepare for a two-day summit that begins thursday, standard and poor's is saying it could cut the credit ratings on 15 countries, including the aaa credits of france and germany. this could mean higher borrowing costs. the decision will hinge on whether any decisions made at the summit are bold enough to solve the region's debt crisis. back to you. >> all right, mary thompson at the stock exchange, thank you. finally, is there anybody

out there? scientists have confirmed that a recently discovered planet is the first alien world where conditions are just right to sustain human life. the planet, kepler 22 b is in the goldilocks zone. the perfect distance from its star to have water and a suitable temperature. it's now 7:12. apparently people are very excited about this. top searches on google, new planet and light year. >> how long would it take to get there if we have to go? >> a lot of light years. >> well, a sign of water is a sign of life, so there you go. >> that's what the new rover is looking for on mars. >> on the downside they have a 24-hour reality channel. what are you going to do? >> that's a big downside. let's check it out and see what we've got for you for today. we are looking at a frontal system that stretches from canada all the way down into the gulf bringing showers. some of the heavier showers will be in the mid-atlantic states where we'll be looking at from

atlanta up into washington, d.c., upwards of 1 to 2 inches of rain and some snow up on into >> good morning.land. we will have some light rain and today. it will be off and on. it will last through this evening. >> and that's your latest weather. ann. >> all right, al. thanks. we've all come to depend on the u.s. postal service but now there is a new plan tied to a major cost-cutting effort that would largely eliminate next-day delivery for first class mail. tom costello is at the post office in washington, d.c. with details on this story.

tom, good morning. >> reporter: ann, good morning to you. the postal service is going to lose $4 billion this year so to keep from going under it's taking this very big step that will likely be affected and felt by all of us, or will it? if you're like most americans, your life has gone electronic. you bank, pay bills, send e-mails, shop, send invitations all online. the list is endless, and it's killing the post office, expected to lose $4 billion this year. >> our network is simply too big to handle the revenues that are coming in today. more importantly, way too big for what we're projecting in the future. >> reporter: so things are changing, starting with first class mail. what used to take one day to deliver will now take two and that could impact everything from movie dvds to prescription medications, bills, mortgage payments, you name it. >> it's mainly goi to affect bill payments and personal correspondence, birthday cards, christmas cards.

>> reporter: first class mail volume has already dropped 29% in ten years, and it's expected to drop another 50% in the next ten. so the post office is raising the cost of a first class stamp by a penny starting in january. it's already looking at closing 3700 post offices. now it's moving to shut down half of its mail processing centers and eliminate 28,000 jobs. meanwhile it's asking congress for permission to cancel saturday delivery, all designed to save $20 billion. the question is whether an extra day really matters. >> yeah, everything on the internet, so, yeah, it has lost a lot of relevance in my life. you know, over my lifetime. >> i have a business and i send mail. because of my timeline, it would be easier if the mail stayed on the schedule that it's on now. >> in the grand scheme of things, a day is not really a big deal. so if it keeps the post office afloat, keeps us having a post office, i can live with that.

>> reporter: while no one expects the postal service to go away, the question is whether it makes sense for snail mail to get even slower. you know, we still need the postal service, but consider this, you can mail a letter in miami, florida, and three days later it will arrive in nome, alaska, and cost you only 45 cents. but that's the problem, 45 cents is not covering the costs. ann, back to you. >> point well taken, tom costello, thank you so much. there are new developments in an emotional custody case involving custody singer mindy mccready. he appeared at a closed-door hearing in arkansas monday just days after defying an order to return her young son to florida. kerry sanders is in north ft. myers with the latest. kerry, good morning. >> reporter: well, good morning. mindy's son had lived here with his grandmother, his legal guardian since he was a baby. this morning sources close to the investigation tell us that her son is in a foster home in

arkansas. u.s. marshals found mindy and her son, 5-year-old zander, hiding in a closet in arkansas, but this morning mindy is free and has not been charged with kidnapping. like the country song she sings, mindy mccready's story of heartache has taken a happy turn. >> i can't talk about it. i'm a happy girl. >> reporter: mindy, who says she's seven months pregnant with twins did little to explain why she's smiling, but she praised the arkansas judge whose court was closed to the public and who issued a gag order, preventing any explanations of why she was set free. >> i love judge herrod, i'll tell you that. >> reporter: u.s. marshals found mindy and her son hiding in the closet of an arkansas cabin on friday night. she had been on the lam after allegedly kidnapping her son from her grandfather's home in florida. for now it appears she will not face any kidnapping charges, which has mindy's mother

thankful but confused. >> i'm going to love you no matter what, i'm your mom and there's nothing you can do to keep me from loving you. >> reporter: but in a sworn affidavit, mindy's mother's caring words are questioned by none other than her mother. mindy's grandmother alleges zander's guardian holds cultish beliefs and zander would be hit with a wooden spoon for punishment to the point she was worried she would break his bones. they tell nbc news they are both ministers but have gone into no greater detail. they deny all allegations of abuse and say state social workers have visited their home regularly and found no reason to remove zander. mindy, whose singing career has been on the skids, was featured on the tv program "celebrity rehab 3" for everyone to see as she battled her demons.

a pill addiction and several attempts to commit suicide. mindy lost control of her son when he was only a baby, and now experts say this custody fight is especially hard on a 5-year-old. >> that is a trauma that is going to take a very, very long time, if ever, for him to work through. i can tell you now that he's going to need a lot of long-term therapy. >> reporter: it's unclear if zander will now be returned to the home here that he's always known. meantime, the federal authorities, that's the u.s. marshal service and the fbi, tell nbc news while there could be federal kidnapping charges for the moment, they are leaving this matter up to the state officials both in arkansas and here in florida. matt. >> kerry sanders on this story. kerry, thank you very much. it's 19 after the hour. once again, here's ann. now to california where a prolific bank robber known as the geiser bandit has struck again and the fbi hunt is on. miguel almaguer has details on this story.

hey, miguel, good morning. >> reporter: good morning. the geiser bandit walked right out of the front door of this bank on friday. he appears to be elderly, a suspect who's continued to elude police but only after he was caught on tape. he looks more grandpa than gangster, but make no mistake, police say the geiser bandit is armed and dangerous. >> i think it's time the bank was just over a minute total. >> reporter: friday, closing time at this san luis obispo bank of america. he hands the teller a note, demands cash, pulls a revolver and walks out with a bag full of money. >> the teller put a dye pack in the bag that explodes and puts a red dye or ink all over that money that's been taken. >> reporter: outside the bank a trail of dye-soaked cash but no sign of the elusive elderly thief. >> the bank robberies started in august of 2009. >> reporter: it seems the suspect is a bit of an old pro. in two years, the geiser bandit

has now held up 16 california banks. >> for anyone to think that this guy might be someone that's elderly and just harmless in any way, that's not the case. >> reporter: but witnesses say something may be off with the 6', 200-pound senior who could be as old as 70. the geiser's face is sometimes described as plasticy, which means he could be wearing a mask. >> back in my game, we didn't have television, we had radio. >> reporter: this looks like the geiser bandit but it's actually rusty. his high-end masks are made for hollywood. they have been used in the movies before, but they have also been used in real-life heists. in ohio, police were looking for a black man but their bank robbery suspect turned out to be a white man wearing a dark mask. back in california, a manhunt for the geiser bandit is under way. >> whether he's wearing a mask or not, that's something that's come up as part of the

investigation. we've had victim tellers and other witnesses describe him as wearing a mask. >> reporter: today it's unclear how old the geiser bandit may be but one thing seems certain, this grandpa doesn't seem anywhere near retirement from his life of crime. the geiser ban dilt says the fbi has gotten away with tens of thousands of dollars. they are offering a $20,000 reward for information that leads to his arrest. >> miguel, thanks. just ahead, a young model in the fight of her life after walking into the spinning propeller of a small plane. we'll talk to her parents in a live interview coming up. first, this is "today" on nbc.

just ahead, a holiday buyer's guide for flat screen tvs. plus a photographer who uses kids to recreate iconic hollywood images takes on her biggest challenge yet. the "today" show after your local news.

and 2 minutes to christmas? [ mumbling ] ...enny days, 8 hours, 9 minutes... 18 days, 17 hours... [ mom ] let's go, young lady. [ female announcer ] they're for building excitement for christmas. 12 days, 18 hours... come on. it's no days! [ female announcer ] the hallmark countdown to christmas ornament. 5 hours and 59 minutes and 41... 40...39... 38...37...36... 40...39... hershe y' 40...39... s bliss. hershe one square inch of incredibly smooth rich chocolate. one square inch of joy...

fun... indulgence... one square inch of bliss. hershey's bliss. >> good morning, everybody. the time is now 7:26. i just a few hours, baltimore city mayor stephanie rawlings- blake will be sworn in to her first full term as mayor. it will take place at 11:30 right in front of city hall. be sure to join us for 11 news at noon. let's get a check on the commute and traffic pulse 11. >> good morning. a lot is going on,

unfortunately. we have an accident at 175 and 295 and another one on westbound 100 right on the ramp to 295. we had an overturned tanker northbound on route 3. all lanes remain closed on 450 at the pg-anne arundel border. we have an accident on eastbound i-70 on the ramp that takes you to the inner loop of the beltway. the building delays on the west side outer loop and on the jfx. let's give you a quick look at the traffic. southbound traffic is backed up heavily from the beltway all the way down to 28 street. a live view of traffic at 295. that is the latest on traffic pulse 11. >> good morning, everyone.

a mild start for us, but we are treating it off with a little bit of rain. upper 50's to around 60. rain showers showing up on hd doppler. off and on rain showers are likely. high temperatures between 59 and 64. that will change over the next couple of days. cooler tomorrow. there could be a mix of rain and snow. clearing up and much colder on th

7:30 on a tuesday morning, the 6th day of december, 2011. big crowd out on the plaza. umbrellas up. we've had drizzle already and that's going to continue off and on for the next 36 hours or so but it will not deter these people from their appointed rounds shopping in new york city after our program. inside the studio, i'm matt lauer alongside ann curry. just ahead, the surprise hit of the gift-giving season. >> that's right. thanks to some great bargains, flat screen televisions are actually flying off the shelves, who knew. with so many options how do you know which television is right for you and will the deals be even bigger after the holidays? coming up, we'll tell you all

you need to know before heading to the store. also it's the season for holiday parties, and you know what that means, hangovers. scientists have reportedly developed a pill to ease the symptoms of a hangover. is that necessarily a good thing? that's one of the beg your pardon -- burning questions we'll tackle with star, donny and dr. nancy. let's begin this half hour with a tragic story out of texas. a young model and fashion blogger severely injured when she accidentally walked into the propeller of a small plane. we'll talk to her parents in just a moment, but first nbc's janet shamlian is joining us this morning from dallas with details on this story. janet, good morning. >> reporter: ann, good morning to you. this is just a horrific accident. a young model gets out of a small plane at night, so it's dark, and unknowingly walks to the front of the plane and right into the path of the propeller which is still spinning. she survives. she's here at parkland hospital this morning in the intensive care unit with some very

critical injuries. there is a long road ahead of her now, but her family says she's never been one to turn down a challenge. for lauren scruggs, it started as a pleasure trip, a flight in a small plane to see christmas lights in the dallas area from the air. back on the ground, the 23-year-old had just climbed out of the single-engine two-seater plane when she made what could have easily been a fatal mistake, accidentally walking to the front of the plane and directly into the still spinning propeller. >> they landed and lauren was getting off the plane so that they could pick up another passenger. and it was dark. and we are thinking that lauren came back to thank the pilot and she didn't see that the propeller was winding down. >> reporter: a part-time model and fashion blogger, lauren suffered a number of critical injuries. her left hand was severed. she's got a skull fracture, a brain injury, a broken collarbone and she could still lose her left eye.

her mom and dad have been at her bedside around the clock. >> she can hear us. >> i asked her i she can hear me to squeeze my hand, and she did. she's even responding more today, i mean this afternoon. >> she's opening her eyes. >> moving around in the bed, which is really good. >> reporter: the incident came just as lauren was beginning to find success in her career. the texas woman created the online magazine lolomag.com and can be seen on youtube chatting up actors like chase crawford. >> go cowboys. >> go cowboys. >> come on! >> reporter: back in 2009 lauren was in the "today" studios where her parents, authors, appeared on the fourth hour with kathie lee and hoda. the agency doesn't require a pilot shut down an engine when loading or unloading passengers. experts say ultimately it's the pilot's responsibility to make

sure passengers stay safe. >> the pilot is responsible for the care and oversight of not only the people that are flying as passengers but anybody that may be a pedestrian around their airplane. >> reporter: nbc news was unable to reach the pilot, a friend of lauren's, but her parents say they consider this an accident and that no one is to blame. they report that lauren has now been able to speak for the first time since the weekend incident, saying to her mom and sister, "i love you." >> it's going to be a long recovery. you know, it's going to be a long haul. it's a marathon. >> this is a marathon, not a sprint. >> reporter: doctors aren't certain yet that lauren knows exactly what happened to her, but she is aware now that she has these severe injuries. they say it's a very positive sign that she is recognizing her family and frankly, they say, this young woman is very lucky to be alive. ann. >> all right, janet shamlian, thank you so much. we are now joined by lauren's parents, jeff and cheryl

scruggs. good morning to both of you. >> good morning. >> we just heard i believe it was last night that lauren was able to speak for the first time. describe what that moment meant for you, cheryl. >> yeah. just seeing her trying to open her right eye just a tiny bit and her moving her lips. she said hi. and that just brought us to our knees. >> when you look at her injuries and you hear that had she been standing any more to the left or the right as she was hit in the chest and the head that she might not be alive, are you seeing this, jeff, as something of a miracle? >> yeah, we're just -- gosh, we're just so grateful to the lord for saving her. lauren has a strong faith in jesus christ, as we do as a family. we've been surrounded by friends

that have been praying, lifting us up. it's been a really horrendous two days, but we do see some bright signs ahead. you know, we just thank all of those that have been praying for us. we're grateful. >> what are doctors telling you about her challenges ahead, and specifically about this effort to save the eye that was damaged? >> well, she's had an amazing team of doctors. we're so thankful and grateful to those -- that team. the eye is like still -- you know, it's going to be several weeks before they know for sure what is going to happen with the eye, but they operated on her two days ago just on the eye for over six hours. which we saw that as a good thing. and we're just praying that, you know, she comes through with that. there's -- the original prognosis was that she was going to lose the eye, so that was a

blessing. so we are grateful to god for that. and then it's -- what they keep reminding us, the team of doctors, it's just going to be a long haul. there's going to be a lot of additional surgeries that are going to be needed. she's going to have intensive care and, you know, it's just going to be a long haul. >> beyond her faith which you just mentioned, it's going to require a lot of her personal toughness for her to endure what you just described. what can you tell us about lauren's character, her personality, that might help her get through this, cheryl? >> yeah. the thing is lauren is a go-getter. she has always been a go-getter. she -- the doctors are so pleased right now because her progress has just been phenomenal. they can't even really believe that that's going on. and we really know that it's the prayers that we've received. people are praying all over the country. we have been getting e-mails and

just messages on caring bridge. she just is a fighter. and she will fight through this and she will make it through. she will use it for good and she knows that jesus uses everything for her good. you know, she's going to have a tough time when she finds out all of the -- everything that's happened and losing her left hand is really a tough thing. but she'll fight. she's a fighter. >> especially as she is a blogger. clearly her fighting spirit comes, we can see, from the two of you who are joining us this morning to talk about this. you are also fighting to find a way to pay for all of these required surgeries yet ahead. i understand you've set up a website, is that right, jeff? >> well, there's -- you can follow her progress on caringbridge.com. there has been a fund set up. it's lauren scruggs hope fund. she's just going to need a lot of care for a long time. there's been a lot of people

that have been asking us how they can help and that's one way you can help. more than anything we just covet your prayers, especially the next couple of weeks, and just praying that she comes through. she is a strong girl. i mean she loves exercise. she's physically fit. she eats well. you know, she's into eating whole foods. part of her magazine is all about health and fitness, so, you know, lauren is going to fight. >> well, jeff and cheryl scruggs, you asked for prayers, i'm sure you'll get them. thank you so much this morning. >> thank you. >> now let's get a check of the weather from al. >> today's weather is brought to you by sargento, taste the real difference. and we've got rain here in the northeast. you guys just got engaged yesterday. >> yes, sir. >> and then you guys just got married. what's your name? >> jen ritchie -- no, jen bular.

>> got to get used to saying that. congratulations to both you guys. let's check it out and see what's happening. yesterday down in the south, look at those temperatures, 65 tupelo, 65 huntsville, 80 in new orleans. front moves through, bam. temperatures only in the 40s and 50s there. as we look at the rest of the country, it stays cool, in fact frigid from the upper plains into the rockies with teens and 20s. 40s up in the pacific northwest and new england. 30s in the mississippi river valley. the only warm spot, mid-atlantic states down into the southeast and florida with temperatures in the 80s. >> good morning. it will be a mild day today. we will see off and on rain showers.

>> and that's your latest weather. ann. >> all right, al, thank you. coming up next, a surprise hot gift of the holiday season, flat screen tvs. what you need to know before you buy. that's coming up right after this. can you believe it another thanksgiving. oh your turkey was delicious like always sweetheart. ah...thanks mom. bye. drive safely. yes, we will we will love you. ♪ it's beginning to look a lot like christmas ♪ ♪ toys in every store. egg nog? ♪ the prettiest sight to see is the holly that will be on your own front door ♪

♪ [ female announcer ] just for these hectic holidays, mcdonald's introduces new peppermint mocha and peppermint hot chocolate from mccafe. the simple joy of unwinding. and peppermint hot chocolate from mccafe. usa prime credit... this peggy... hi, i'm cashing in my points... peggy? no more points - coupons now. coupons? coupons. coupons? next, you convert coupons to tokens. tokens? then you trade tokens for credits. and then i get the cash? then you call back. bye bye. peggy? hello? what just happened? want rewards that make sense? switch to discover. america's #1 cash rewards program. it pays to discover.

[ gps ] hello dave. oh, not again. [ gps ] dave, do you know where your wife went last week? she went to jared to look at a beautiful diamond necklace. i'm not going to the cleaners anymore, am i? [ gps ] no dave, you're not. [ tires screech ] right turn. [ engine revs ] [ male announcer ] jared the galleria of jewelry has five times the selection of ordinary jewelry stores, so you'll find the perfect gift every time. how did you know? who knows you like i do? [ horn honks ] [ male announcer ] that's why he went to jared, the galleria of jewelry. let's show 'em what a breakfast with wholegrain fiber can do. one coffee with room, one large mocha latte. medium macchiato, light hot chocolate hold the whip, and two espressos, make one a double. she's full and focused! [ barista ] i have two cappuccinos, one coffee with room, one large mocha latte, a medium macchiato, a light hot chocolate, hold the whip and two espressos, one with a double shot. hehe, that's not the coffee talking. [ female announcer ] start your day with kellogg's frosted mini-wheats cereal. the 8 layers of whole grain fiber help keep you full so you can avoid the distraction of mid-morning hunger.

no thanks, i'm good. i can't breathe... so i can't sleep... and the next day i pay for it. i tried decongestants... i tossed & turned... i even vaporized! and then i fought back: with drug-free breathe right advanced. these nasal strips instantly opened my nose, like a breath of fresh air. i was breathing and sleeping better! [ female announcer ] exercise your right to breathe right... get two free strips at breatheright.com. hey, it's your right to breathe right! back now at 7:44. this morning on "today's consumer" one of the holiday season's hottest gifts. we're talking about flat screen tvs. how do you pick the right one for your family? mario armstrong is today's digital life tile contributor. good morning, happy holidays. there are ipads and tablets and smartphones and kindles.

why are these so popular this year? >> kind of old tech coming back. the thing is this, matt, people want great entertainment at home. they can't afford as much to go out to the movies so people are looking to take the little dollars that they have and make it stretch for the entertainment and buy additional tvs maybe for other rooms. >> prices are as low as we've seen in an awfully long time. is that supply and demand or are they cheaper to make now? >> no, it's supply and demand. a lot of inventory in the stores right now. great deals on so many different technologies. >> you don't want just a great deal price wise, you want the latest technology. what's few right now? >> smart televisions. these are tvs connected to the internet so you can bring in that internet content. 3-d is still strong. >> how do you like 3-d? >> i'm not a big fan, i think it's a little early. if you're going to spend a lot of money now, then you want to get a 3-d ready tv so in a couple of years you can experience 3-d. >> if people head out to the stores and want a flat screen

tv, you've got really important advice. the first one bigger isn't better. how do you figure out how big you need? >> if you go to the movies, you don't sit in the front row. so you really step back from your television where you're going to watch it from, measuring that viewing distance in feet. >> let's say it five feet. >> so then what you do is multiply that by on the low end five, on the high end 8, so that's 25 inches or 40 inches, somewhere in there is your minimum to maximum screen size. >> you also want people to make sure that the new set they're buying connects to the equipment they already have at home. for example in, what way? >> because you have cable boxes, you have theater surround sound stuff, game consoles, blu-ray players. if you don't have all the ports on the back of the tv, you'll be sitting there with electronics that can't plug in. >> so go to the store with all of the connections you need to make sure the set can handle that. >> know exactly what you need to connect to your television

before you buy. >> your latest one, buy your hdmi cables online, not at the store. why wouldn't you buy them where you buy the tv? >> because it's huge profit for them, okay. it's huge. they are way overpriced in the actual big box retailer stores. buy them online at monoprice and you can get them like 70% off. >> after githe guy or the woman closes the deal, they'll invariably say would you like the extended warranty. what's your advice to the consumer? >> if you're a worry wart get it because nothing else will make you happy. if you have to get one, look at squaretrade.com where you can get discounts on the extended warranties, but i think the television technology is really great. plasmas are underrated and people think there are still problems with tvs. you don't necessarily need the extended warranty if a buy a great set. >> will patience pay off? if you see a great price right now, if you wait until after the holidays it will be lower?

>> no, if you see a deal that's in your budget, if you're ready, go ahead and make the move on it. don't wait until the week before christmas to do that but if you want to hold off, the next best time will be right before the super bowl. you'll see some aggressive specials then. >> thanks very much. still ahead, today's professionals weigh in on everything from the return of tiger woods to a new pill for hangovers. but first, these messages. ♪ laces?

really? slip-on's the way to go. more people do that, security would be like a -- there's no charge for the bag. thanks. ♪ i know a quiet little place where we can get some work done. there's a three-prong plug. i have club passes. [ male announcer ] now there's a mileage card that offers special perks on united, like a free checked bag, united club passes, and priority boarding. okay. what's your secret? [ male announcer ] the new united mileage plus explorer card. get it, and you're in. [ femala $100 cream. we were flattered when regenerist beat flabbergasted when we creamed a $500 cream. for about $30 regenerist micro-sculpting cream hydrates better than over 20 of america's most expensive luxury creams. fantastic. phenomenal. regenerist.

the best approach to food is to keep it whole for better nutrition. that's what they do with great grains cereal. they steam and bake the actual whole grain while the other guy's flake is more processed. mmm. great grains. the whole whole grain cereal. it burns! it's singeing me. it's the sun. get out of the office more often, with chili's $6 lunch break combos, featuring texas toast half sandwiches. chili's lunch break combos. - i wanted to get cindy something special this year.

- you went to kay. she'll love it. [chuckles] trust me. i know. ho-ho-ho-ho-ho. - the charmed memories collection at kay jewelers each charm is hand-crafted in italy, and with hundreds of charms to choose from, the possibilities are endless. create your own memories with charmed memories, one more reason kay is the number one jewelry store in america. - i love it. - santa said you would. no, really. they won't be beat. oh, actually... then i'd be like, you rule! and my kids would be like, you rule! i'd be like, yes, i do rule! ohh! that rules! oh, load up the sleigh; this is going to be a great christmas. yeah. ring dinga-ding, ring dinga-ding, ring, ring, ring me up. [ male announcer ] no need to wait with our christmas price guarantee. we're so confident in our prices if you do find a lower one between now and christmas, we'll give you the difference on a walmart gift card. save money. live better. walmart.

still ahead, how to turn your unwanted gift cards into cash. >> take a look at this, the photographer that turns kids into hollywood icons or maybe tv icons. two medium cappuccinos!

let's show 'em what a breakfast with wholegrain fiber can do. one coffee with room, one large mocha latte. medium macchiato, light hot chocolate hold the whip, and two espressos, make one a double. she's full and focused! [ barista ] i have two cappuccinos, one coffee with room, one large mocha latte, a medium macchiato, a light hot chocolate, hold the whip and two espressos, one with a double shot. hehe, that's not the coffee talking. [ female announcer ] start your day with kellogg's frosted mini-wheats cereal. the 8 layers of whole grain fiber help keep you full so you can avoid the distraction of mid-morning hunger. no thanks, i'm good. make the best vehicles in america... and once a year offer them with special savings. today, it's a phenomenon. toyotathon is back. see the reinvented camry, named a 2012 "best resale value" by kelley blue book's kbb.com. and with amazing deals,

now's the time to get the toyota you've been waiting for. others have tried to copy it. but in the end, there's only one...toyotathon. the biggest and best sales event of the year is going on now!

the biggest and best sales event of the year yoohoo, hi. i noticed you used the largest cash back card... why is that? they give me 5% cash back at department stores this quarter. but only on up to $300 worth of merchandise. so the most you can earn is $15 dollars. chase freedom also gives you 5% cash back at department stores this quarter but on up to $1,500 worth of purchases. that is $75. that's 5 times more! woo. get your cash back. activate today at chase.com/freedom.

>> this is wbal 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. it is 7:56. time for a check of your morning commute. >> wet roads and accidents around areas. one just been on southbound 895 right near 295. we have the right lane closure right now. meantime, eastbound i-70, we have an accident there. it is backing up traffic on eastbound i-70. outer loop, a pretty heavy in both areas. also, the inner loop, you are looking at jammed conditions.

southbound on the jfx to 28, slow going. if you want to head out in bill camp, 543 at route 3, an accident. we will update you first on 895. southbound 895, right lane is closed. the left lane is squeezing by. let's switch over to a live view of traffic on 83. southbound delays are in place. they're all volume therelated. that's the latest on traffic pulse 11. >> good morning, everyone. we are trading on the rain for some mild temperatures. upper 50's to 60 already this morning. heavy rain south of baltimore at the present time the most of this is a light rain. it will be with us off and on. off and on rain showers.

take an umbrella with you. give yourself a few extra minutes. high-temperature right around 62. a good chance for rain tomorrow. it could be a mix of rain and

8:00 now on a tuesday morning, the 6th day of december, 2011. the gray weather has not chased away our new friends on the plaza. the good news is the rain has stopped and also it's 56 degrees so it's not freezing, so that's positive as everyone waves to friends and family back home. >> you know, today is not -- today is not this lady's birthday. she wants everybody to know that. you know what, it worked anyway, didn't it? >> yes, it did. i'm ann curry along with matt lauer and al roker. coming up in this half hour you'll be having a date. >> donny, star and dr. nancy are in our studio. did you know scientists have

come up with a pill that they say will alleviate the symptoms of a hangover. >> i don't believe it, really? >> why are you smiling so much? >> it's not your birthday. also a 9-year-old boy suspended from school because he was overheard calling his teacher cute. >> huh. there must be a back story to that. we're going to meet a photographer who transforms kids into some of hollywood's most famous celebrities and great motion picture moments. we gave her a challenge. find mini versions of us. wow, that could turn out really bad. >> okay. apparently some of these pictures are very, very funny so we'll take a look at some of that. also, we want to remind everyone that tomorrow, this is an interesting note, we'll have in our studio some of the things that were in michael jackson's house, where he spent his final days. we'll bring those into our studio and give you a preview of that. before we get to that -- >> savannah is at the news desk.

good morning, guys. in the news today suicide bombings have killed at least 58 people and wounded nearly 200 in afghanistan this morning. the coordinated attacks came just one day after the u.s. and its allies pledged continued support to afghanistan after nato troops withdraw. these are the first sectarian attacks in afghanistan since the fall of the taliban a decade ago. president obama hopes to invoke history today as he pressures congress to extend the payroll tax cut that's set to expire at the end of the month. the president is speaking at a small kansas town where president theodore roosevelt gave his famous speech demanding a square feel for the average citizen. republicans and democrats support the tax break for the middle class but disagree over how and whether to pay for it. a woman who gave the fbi one of its most important leads in the mystery of d.b. cooper says she thinks the case is all but solved. cooper is the hijacker who jumped from a plane with a load of cash 40 years ago. pete williams is in washington

this morning with the details. pete, good morning. >> reporter: federal officials say they're not ready to declare this notorious case closed, but a woman who has provided tantalizing clues told her an fbi agent told her it soon will be. it's been 40 years since a man boarded a northwest airlines plane the night before thanksgiving, demanded parachutes and a ransom and jumped out somewhere over the pacific northwest with $200,000. the fbi is now pursuing a lead from an oregon man's niece who says he was the hijacker. marla cooper says her uncle came home with obvious injuries the night after the hijacking and was a big fan of a comic book skydiver, dan cooper, the name he used. she said her father more or less confirmed it to her years later. agents are checking to see if her uncle's fingerprints match any in the plane but an agent told her a few days ago that match or not the case will soon be closed. >> he said i am certain your

uncle did it. i feel certain that your uncle did it. what's the point in continuing the investigation. >> reporter: but the author of a new book about the case says that seems doubtful. >> the truth is, is that we've seen this before. there's been tons of close calls in this thing. i think it's important to really sort of treat this new development, if you can call it that, with a little bit of caution. >> reporter: meantime marla cooper is working on a book of her own about the case, the nation's only unsolved airplane hijacking. now here's brian williams with what's coming up tonight on nbc "nightly news." hi, brian. >> hey, savannah, good morning. coming up tonight, new tools in the fight against breast cancer. the treatments that are actually working and new research revealing options for those desperate for some hope in their lives. that and more when we join you tonight. savannah, for now back to you. >> thanks. now for a look at what's trending today. our quick roundup of what has you talking online. mastectomy is a top google

search term after giulian giuliana rancic revealed she will undergo a double mastectomy to reduce the risk of her breast cancer returning. amanda knocks x is consider writing a book about her four years in an italian prison. she has hired robert barnett who has brokered book deals for president obama and clinton. she spent more than a million dollars on her legal defense. rosie o'donnell is trending on yahoo! about tweeting about her engagement. the two met at a coffee shop and will reportedly tie the knot over the christmas holiday. back to al and a check of the weather. today's weather is brought to you by bp. >> and we've got some friends here hanging out. you left your buddy back in texas? >> yes, sir, we did. her name is becky. >> so do you want to say anything to beck? >> becky, we love you and miss you. thank you, al. >> get better, becky.

let's check it out for you and show you our pick city of the day, evansville, indiana, 39 degrees, a little on the chilly side. as we look at the map you can see on the satellite/radar most of the action is in the east. wet weather from new england all the way down into the southeast, some snow back through central missouri. plenty of sunshine in the pacific northwest, temperatures in the low 40s. 60s in southern florida. wet weather stretching from new england all the way down to the gulf. >> good morning.nd a high we will have some light rain and today. it will be off and on. it will last through this evening.

>> and that's your latest weather. let's go over to annie pink boots. >> all right, al, thank you so much. coming up next, we've got "today's professionals" in the house. donny, dr. nancy and star tackling everything from a new hangover pill to engagement rings for men. that's coming up right after this. all because so many people wanted to visit us... in louisiana. they came to see us in florida... nice try, they came to hang out with us in alabama... once folks heard mississippi had the welcome sign out, they couldn't wait to get here. this year was great but next year's gonna be even better. and anyone who knows the gulf knows that winter is primetime fun time. the sun's out and the water's beautiful. you can go deep sea fishing for amberjack, grouper and mackerel. our golf courses are open. our bed and breakfast have special rates. and migrating waterfowl from all over make this a bird watcher's paradise.

so if you missed it earlier this year, come on down. if you've already been here come on back... to mississippi... florida... louisiana... alabama. the gulf's america's get-a-way spot no matter where you go. so come on down and help make 2012 an even better year for tourism on the gulf. brought to you by bp and all of us who call the gulf home. twizzlers. the twist you can't resist.

this year, we won't settle for second best. we're going to give all the top brands. like kenmore, craftsman, nordic track, die hard, samsung.... and our gifts will be top notc. our wrapping? that's another story. only sears has this collection of leading brands you can't find anywhere else.

now that's real joy, guarantee. sears right now, save up to 40% on al game room items. we're back now, 8:10. it's time for "today's professionals" to weigh in on the latest trends and headlines that have a lot of people with us. with us as always, star jones, donny deutsch and dr. nancy snyderman. nice to see you all. scientists have apparently developed a pill that will alleviate the symptoms of a hangover when you wake up in the morning. the headache, the queasy stomach. you wake up sideways, it puts you right. what took them so long, nancy? >> well, they took everything people normally use and put it into a little pill. a little caffeine and acetaminophen and one other component. now you won't feel like hell. >> some of us have had this for a while, it's gaucalled goody

powder. >> we are overpilled as a society. one of the things that i know keeps me from drinking is i don't want to feel crappy the next way. in a weird way, does this start to elevate drinking? >> why do you feel crappy in the morning? because your body is saying enough already. >> we need to have a price of doing business in this country. >> so it's cute marketing. i'm sure it will sell for a short period of time. it doesn't negate the damage alcohol does to your body and some of these things when combined with alcohol are not good for your body anyway. >> without medication, what's your personal hangover remedy? >> goody power. >> don? >> sleep. >> don't do it. >> let's move on to something. even the most enthusiastic political junky might have a hangover these days with all the debates we're seeing on the gop side, all right. i think 11 and counting, 13 more. donald trump has announced he is going to be moderating one of these debates on december 27.

a lot of people don't think it's a good idea. star, why don't you start. you know donald well. >> i know him extremely well. he moderated a couple of debates that i have had, okay. my problem with this is we've now turned the whole circus atmosphere into a huge circus and i perceive that donald is going to be perceived as the ring master. >> can you imagine, let's say there was a democratic primary. president obama and hillary clinton agreeing to be in a debate moderated -- donald is p.t. barnum and knows how to draw attention, but talk about unpresidential. if i was a candidate like huntsman, i would say i will answer to a journalist. >> let me give you some comments. nancy, george says it's time to do something presidential. ron paul says it's beneath the office of the presidency. mark mckinnon said it's bad for the candidates, it's bad for the

party. >> what's fascinating is the number of candidates who come to new york to kiss the ring. what do we focus on, the fact that there is this revolving door. then who gets served what? sarah palin gets pizza on a paper plate. some people get taken other places. but there's something sort of creepy about the process. >> but also these candidates get attention because of donald. >> right. >> donald is the one with the light on him. >> come on, guys -- >> if you're going to be the president, you have to discern which one you want. >> with something like 25 total debates, everybody in america is going to get to moderate one sooner or later. let's go to this story out of north carolina. a 9-year-old suspended for a couple of days from school when he told a friend that he thought his teacher was cute. the teacher overheard the remark, reported the boy to the principal. a representative for the school district told local reporters details of the suspension not available but said the incident related to inappropriate

behavior. >> okay. if this kid said his teacher is cute and they suspended him, shame on -- come on, by the way, in this world with what kids see -- now, if the kid was talking in any way -- stop it, you are going to send a kid home because he said my teacher is cute? come on. >> even if he said, you know what, i think mrs. so and so is really hot. how adorable? >> so let me give you if the kid said, oh, she's cute. that booty looks good. something like that. if it changes from being a sweet little compliment to something that sounds a little derogatory -- i agree with you but it's not always cute language and i think there's a way. i would not suspend the kid, but there's a way to discipline if someone is speaking inappropriately. >> the booty thing? >> that's my cue to jump in here. big weekend in the world of sports. tiger woods.

>> yeah. >> he won his first tournament in two years at the chevron world challenge after playing pretty darn well in the presidents cup. is tiger woods back? >> no. >> i would say yes. >> he will never be iconic again. the reason is not the infidelities. we forgave bill clinton because he was on brand. the way tiger woods misled the public -- >> his injury to his leg and knee are really interesting. if he changed his golf swing, if you watch him swing a club -- >> that's not what we're talking about. >> no, no, whether he's back. >> but back in the public eye. >> but can he take nicklas' record. >> america loves to create heroes and they love to watch them fall. let's face it, tiger woods did a lot to help himself fall. but don't we also love the phoenix rising from the ashes? >> he's not loveable. >> you know what, i was cheering when he was coming up on 18. i was absolutely cheering in my

own house. there's nothing like watching tiger in the hunt on a sunday. and that's what people want to see. >> madison avenue take him back in full force? >> to some degree. he will never be michael jordan again. he will be okay. >> a few seconds for the last one. according to a website, the new must have item for couples in love, an engagement ring for the man. they're calling them mengagement rings. donny, what's your ring size? >> if you wear a man engagement ring, you have some issues, okay. >> i think mike emichael michbl wore one. >> so you wouldn't do it? >> i would not. >> here's my new engagement ring, what do you think? and you say you only got three carats?

>> we know -- >> guilty as charged. >> donny deutsch, dr. nancy snyderman, star jones, thank you, folks. up next, toddlewood comes to "today." a creative photographer transforms toddlers into us right after this. oh, actually... t. then i'd be like, you rule! and my kids would be like, you rule! i'd be like, yes, i do rule! ohh! that rules! oh, load up the sleigh; this is going to be a great christmas. yeah. ring dinga-ding, ring dinga-ding, ring, ring, ring me up. [ male announcer ] no need to wait with our christmas price guarantee. we're so confident in our prices if you do find a lower one between now and christmas, we'll give you the difference on a walmart gift card. save money. live better. walmart. you feel it working, so you know you're ready for whatever the day brings. compared to ordinary toothpaste, you feel a deeper clean. up to a two times cleaner feeling. new crest complete. feel it working.

new crest complete. the best approach to food is to keep it whole for better nutrition. that's what they do with great grains cereal. they steam and bake the actual whole grain while the other guy's flake is more processed. mmm. great grains. the whole whole grain cereal. [ male announcer ] got a cold? [ sniffling ] [ male announcer ] not sure what to take? now robitussin® makes finding the right relief simpler than ever. click on the robitussin® relief finder. click on your symptoms. get your right relief. ♪ makes the cold aisle easy. ♪ robitussin®. relief made simple. and introducing nasal relief pills, now for the very first time from robitussin®.

♪ i think i'm falling ♪ i think i'm falling [ male announcer ] this is your moment. ♪ for you [ male announcer ] this is zales, the diamond store. shop our largest diamond store online anytime at zales.com. i know you're worried about making your savings last and having enough income when you retire. that's why i'm here. to help come up with a plan and get you on the right path. i have more than a thousand fidelity experts working with me

so that i can work one-on-one with you. it's your green line. but i'll be there, every step of the way. call or come in for a free portfolio review today. back now at 8:20 with a new take on celebrity photography. jenna wolfe met with a photographer who recreates some of hollywood's most memorable moments. >> just a second. >> it's under the table and it's playing music. >> no, please don't reveal -- >> it's glee! it's glee! >> no, no, no. >> let's get to the story here real quick. >> sorry, jenna. >> no problem. story of my life. >> the true stars of these photos are actually children. they're between the ages of 3 and 6 and resemble a famous

face. with the help of one savvy photographer, they look like hollywood royalty. they play like kids, they sound like kids. but with a few clicks of the camera, they look like famous faces. >> i like. >> this is toddlewood. >> this is where the magic happens. >> reporter: toddlewood isn't so much a place as it is a concept. photographer tricia messeroux transforms these little guys into hollywood's most famous stars, movies and moments. all through the eyes of a view finder. >> where do you come up with the ideas for these? are they all famous pictures or iconic scenes? >> yese. that's the operative word, iconic. it has to be an iconic person or iconic scene. scene people remember, like tom cruise jumping on the couch on the oprah winfrey show. >> reporter: from coffee table

books to calendars, toddlewood has redefined the class picture. but now toddlewood is tackling its toughest task yet. >> we're hosting the casting call for you guys. >> is there anyone that you're most concerned about casting, the biggest challenge? >> the hardest one might be i have to say lester holt. he seems very serious. he's a professional. like he doesn't get anything wrong. >> or so you think, dot dot dot. >> i wear to you, this is the biggest challenge i've ever done. >> reporter: and with that it was game time. >> my gosh, it's like the future "today" show in here. >> reporter: a record 82 kids turned out for our casting call. >> look on that wall and tell me who you guys think you're going to be. >> reporter: and these kids did their homework. >> you're crazy, hoda kotb. >> reporter: crazy and camera ready, our "today" show toddlers were trickling in.

meet mateo. >> stand by matt for one second. >> that's al. >> our mini matt. >> good morning, i'm ann curry. >> and little ann. >> big smile, little smile. big smile. >> reporter: and then there's cute kayla. well, she had the pleasure of being cast as yours truly. but for some of our tiny "today" stars, the choice wasn't always so clear. >> amy or natalie. >> everyone thinks you look like natalie morales. >> reporter: it turns out she wasn't amy or natalie. in the end, ella was cast as sa vapa. the "today" show gang was almost complete as tricia and her toddlewood team took over studio 1a hoping to recreate some of our most memorable moments. mini savannah said she did her research by watching her on tv. >> do you remember what she did on tv? >> she helped someone cook. >> uh-huh. >> and she talked to someone and

that's what i really want to do next year. >> reporter: but this year she was ready for her closeup, so she climbed on to our set. >> who do you like working with better, chuck todd or al roker? >> al roker. >> really? how come? >> well, he's a good friend of mine. >> no, i know, because i'm friends with him too. nice to meet you. do you have any purell. >> do you have any famous shows coming on to the show? >> today it's just us. next week we will have a guest on. >> and who's that? >> savannah or ann curry. >> either one of those. that's a big get. picture perfect, tricia snapped away as the mini anchors took over "today." >> i love it, and that's a wrap. >> all right. so here we go. how did tricia do? we'll take a look at how she managed to recreate some of our very own images.

remember, guys, imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. here matt is interviewing michelle obama. let's see how tricia did. perfect. next is ann and the dalai lama. we remember this one. check out how she did. how adorable. >> has that kid's hair grown back? >> next up, the entire gang at the "today" show desk. this is what that looked like. or, or, this is what i'd like it to look like. this is lester and jenna. this is little lester and jenna as well. so adorable. there's savannah. do we have savannah's shot? savannah. do we have the -- then there's hoda and kathie lee. >> you didn't let the kids drink. >> no, we used milk in the glasses. >> do we have the one of the four of them or no?

no, we don't. it was great. >> we didn't have time for that because savannah's phone was playing music. there it is. jenna, that's cool. thank >> live, local, late-breaking - this wbal-tv 11 news in baltimore. >> good morning. the time is 8:26 and let's get a final check on your morning commute. >> what a mess. it has been a tough ride this morning with a wet roads contributed a problem. westbound 50 has an accident which is taking up left -- left lane. southbound 895 near to 95 as an accident clearing on the shoulder. we're looking at heavy delays and southbound 95 holding onto 8 miles per hour from white march down to the 895 split. we you are looking at a slow go

on the topside, a waterloo from bel air. our live traffic is tied up and southbound on the jfx and the outer loop west side with average speeds around 12 miles per hour. philadelphia road is still dealing with an accident there. with show you 895 at 295 the accident off to decide. let's switch to a allied view of what a mess on westbound rte. 50 as you approach the bay bridge. the left lane is closed on the westbound spam. span. >> good morning, we are nice and mild on this tuesday morning with temperatures in the 50's but we are dealing with rain showers. the rain showers will be off and on for this afternoon and into this evening.

the high temperature will be between 59 and 64 degrees. much cooler tomorrow and still a chance for a few showers and there might be some snow mixed with the rain late wednesday night and early thursday and temperatures will drop to the 40's.

8:30 now on a tuesday morning. it's the 6th day of december, 2011. our crowd is in the giving mood this morning as they're helping with our 18th annual holiday toy drive. our elves this morning none other than jeffrey donovan and gabrielle anwar. gabrielle brought along her two daughters, so it's a family affair this morning. we'll be checking in with them a little later on.

out on the plaza, matt lauer along with ann curry, al roker and savannah guthrie. what else is coming up? >> we're going to be talking about gift cards. a lot of us get them during the christmas holidays, but sometimes we get them for stores where we don't frequent, so jean will tell us how to deal with that. still in the shopping mode, jill martin is here with another batch of items for her holiday steals and deals. plus we'll talk to an exciting mystery novelist, this guy right now, al roeker. >> author, author. >> thank you very much. >> third one, by the way. we're very excited about that. >> we would also like to mention we were nominated as a group for the people's choice award for best daytime tv talk host. this is the last day to vote. to find out how, head to our website at today.com. >> are we actually encouraging people to vote for us? >> absolutely. >> we'll go door to door if we have to. >> we have no shame. >> even if we have to wipe the floor.

>> let us bring in jeffrey donovan and gabrielle from "burn notice" on usa. let me hold annu umbrella over you. congratulations, by the way, you've already been picked up for another season. even though you know you're successful, do you still wait on pins and needles for that? >> yeah. we don't want to get a burn notice. >> you must be excited about that. >> i am very much. >> yeah, it's a great job. in this economy and the jobs, we're very lucky to have it. >> the website online they have the top ten "burn notice" quotes. for you, michael, your character's name, surveillance is the leading cause of weight gain among operatives. you said that once. in season 2, episode 9. >> i did not know that. >> obviously i did my research. after five seasons, is it still fun behind the scenes? >> we have a great time. our relationship is very

dangerous and dynamic and dysfunctional, you know, the 3 ds. we model it after you and then we put it on at 10:00 at night. >> so gabrielle, what's going to happen in the season finale? i know that's next week. >> it is. there's a huge choice that i have to make, and i do make it an it's kind of a shocker actually. it's well worth watching. >> that's a tease. by the way, jeffrey, we want to mention that you played bobby kennedy in the new film "j. edgar." >> i forget sometimes. >> speaking of that, the reason why i brought that up, that must have been so intense not only to play bobby kennedy but to work with clint eastwood. >> it's my second time. i worked with him and angelina jolie about three years ago. i actually begged him to play this role. i grew up in the north shore of boston, it's home to my heart so playing that role is exciting

and also terrifying at the same time that i upset any kennedy in the world. >> i'm sure you did not. anyway, thanks so much, both of you. >> gabrielle, it's great seeing you. >> we should probably mention when your show happens. >> thursday night. >> thursday nights, 9:00 central on our sister network usa. from you go. now let's get a check of the weather from you. >> my arm is getting tired. >> let's check it out and show you what's happening weatherwise for today. we've got wet weather stretching from new england all the way down into the gulf coast. we're looking at sunshine out wet, sunny skies great lakes. tomorrow more rain here in the east. new england will be looking at some snow, some snow showers back through the appalachians, cold and cloudy in the pacific northwest. cool and sunny through southern texas. that's what's going on around the >> good morning. it will be a mild day today. we will see off and on rain showers.

>> and don't forget, you can get your weather any time of the day or night, go to the weather channel on cable or weather.com online. now let's head on down to washington and say hello to uncle willie scott. >> it's that time of the year, the old turkey is getting fat and so am i and i'll be bigger even then with all of the ham and pumpkin pie. happy birthday from smucker's, how sweet it is. check the spinning jar and you will see rosa beckner from wirtz, virginia. 108 years old. enjoys quilting and attending all kind of church functions. yes, ma'am, thank you, ma'am.

and charity, that's a great name. charity butler, rochester, new york, is 100 years old. actually she's so good she's 103, how about that. she loves to go all over the place and sing and do all sorts of fun things with her family and friends. and enjoys outings with the family, picnics and things like that. take a look at helen athens, jacksonville, florida, 102. she is a pro at really taking good care of solving cross word puzzles, great mind builder. and she loves to watch all kind of sports on the television. here is clyde clough from pi pinkney, michigan. 100 years old. still drives his automobile and enjoys fun games like golf, which he is absolutely fantastic at. ended with a proposition there.

here is charles loucks from bella vista, arizona, 100 years old today and a proud ww ii vet and a long-time friend of the fire department. he loved to do volunteer fire work. good man, without them i don't know what we'd do. y.f. choy of honolulu, hawaii, 100 years old today. smart as a whip, mind as sharp as a tack. what a blessing that is. that's it, that's all for now. don't go away, there's more to come. >> all right, willard, thank you so much. it's raining on me. talk about a bad hair day. coming up next, how to turn your unwanted gift cards into cold, hard cash. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

"today's money" is brought to you by fidelity investments.

turn here. >> we are back at 8:39. this morning on "today's money" buying and selling gift cards. they're a very popular holiday present and each year billions worth go unused. today jean chatzky is here to talk about that. $100 billion in gift card sales every year, $6 billion unused. 6%. >> that's right. they are the most popular gift five years running, giflt cards, so a lot of people have them sitting around. >> if we're not using them, what's happening to those cards? >> in some cases they're just sitting in your sock drawer, which is not where they should be. but more often people have discovered they're actually tradeable. you can get cash for them or you can sell them. >> if you do nothing with them, that's a huge windfall for the stores where they have been purchased because they're giving away nothing and taking your money. >> absolutely. >> so where do you -- for example, i have $100 macy's gift card from last year. i want to sell it. how do i go about doing it?

>> you hit the internet. go to card hub and gift cards and gift card granny. there's a bunch of them. plastic jungle. and you type in the identifying details on the back of the gift card. they'll tell you how much they're willing to pay for that particular card and the numbers vary. >> that's an important point. if you have a $100 gift card, don't think you're going to get $100 in cash for it. >> no. they're going to buy it from you at a discount. the discount depends on how popular that particular card is. so we looked at some cards, abercrombie and fitch, you'll get about $82. but if you've got a very, very popular card and the most popular are the gas cards and the whole foods cards interestingly, you might get close to $90 for that 100. >> so you can get cash for your card. you can also get store credit at other stores, right? >> you could trade your gift card for a different gift card. you could get an amazon gift card which is more useable because they carry so much stuff

or you can sometimes get an electronic credit right in your pay pal account. >> let's switch over to buying a gift card. you're in the market for one of these. you could get a $100 gift card. what would be the average you would pay? >> again, it varies on the popularity of the card. anywhere from 70% up to 90, 92%. and again, it varies based on how popular that particular card is. >> supply and demand. >> it really is supply and demand. it also depends on where you're buying because the discounts vary by the site. >> it would seem immediately one of the ways to get more for your money here is to cut out the middleman or these websites you just mentioned. can i sell my gift card or buy a gift card directly? >> you can, but be careful. gift card marketplaces have sprung up on sites like ebay, sites like craigslist. if you're going to do a transaction with one of these big gift card companies, you've got protection. ebay will back you up, so is plastic jungle and the other

sites. you do it on craigslist, you've got to do it in person. if you're selling, you want cash and if you're buying, you want to call the 800 number on the back of that card to verify the balance. >> are the rules the same when you're dealing with a gift card or gift certificate from a small local store as they are to big chain stores? >> they're harder to sell because there's not as much of a marketplace but card hub has made itself available to trade in these local cards, so look there. >> and expiration dates on a lot of these cards? >> they are not -- the law has changed in 2010 so you don't have to worry about them as much anymore. but if you have an older card, you've got to be careful. >> jean chatzky, thanks very much. maybe you think you'd like to spend your gift card on a new book. up next, mr. roker tells us about his latest mystery novel. he'll talk to ann about that. first, this is "today" o

back now at 8:45 with a new mystery novel from one of our own. al has teamed with award winning crime novelist dick lotke called "the talk show murders." al, i've got to tell you, let me tell you what the publishers is saying. snappy prose, well developed characters will leave readers wanting to see more. we've got a novelist calling it fast, funny even with a touch of steamy romance. are you blushing yet? >> well, keep going. >> it's the third in your series regarding these billy blessing novels. this time the celebrity chef turned sleuth is in chicago where he's discovering that some people who are in a talk show have been murdered. what happens from there? >> well, his morning show, "wake up america" is broadcasting from chicago for two weeks and he goes on a local show and gets embroiled in this controversy that's going on.

an internet scam and a movie, and people start turning up toes up. he gets drawn into it, as he has the last two novels. so this time, though, it's in chicago. chicago is home to some great talk shows, it has been, and we thought it would be kind of fun to set it there. >> the first novel was set in new york, the second in hollywood, the third in chicago, so you're changing venues. is it impossible for you not to reference the "today" show experience? there's a lot of behind-the-scenes television stuff in your book. >> yeah, i think that's one of the things people enjoy about it, a little behind the scenes and what it's like to be on a morning show but we try to do it with a little bit of a tongue in cheek. these are all people that they're composites. there's nobody i'm basing the characters on for the most part. >> what is it about you -- thank goodness. but what is it about you that keeps you from staying in the box? you have clearly, not only with your production company being on television for millions of

people every day but also now a novelist. this is your seventh book so far. third as a novelist. >> my mom instilled in all us kids this love of reading. and she loved thrillers and murder mysteries, so i gravitated to that. i just read them like crazy. and so i was kind of hoping to run kind of a fine line between the thriller of harlan coben and the tongue in cheek humor of janet abanovitz. i don't want people finishing the book and feeling worse than when they started. there's nothing grisly or too horrible. it's kind of a book version of "murder she wrote." >> you just mentioned janet as being one of your inspirations, for her to say your book is great has got to be personally gratifying. >> it has been. it's been -- dick is just the

master of plotting. i came up in this idea but i didn't know how -- where to go with it. he was able to help me with the idea of how you get from point a to point b and i'd fill the stuff in in between. >> is there to say there will be more books? >> i would hope so. even -- i'd love if there was a tv show, get somebody like anthony anderson to play billy blessing. >> you're throwing that out there. >> i am. well, denzel washington is probably too busy and wouldn't want to wear the fat makeup. >> oh, it's really fantastic. thank you so much, al. congratulations. the book again is called "the talk show murders." we're so proud of you. coming up next, a tasty new twist on holiday desserts. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

and this morning on "today's holiday kitchen" a new spin on seasonal desserts. chuck hughes is the host of chuck's week off mexico and the upcoming special chuckmas. he's here with tips on preparing the perfect carrot cake. chuck, good morning, nice to see you. >> nice to see you. >> we're making mom's recipe this morning. >> yep. >> this is traditional north of the border with a twist. >> a little bit of a twist. christmas or chuckmas, if you will, is all about family.

at my house, my grandmother and my mom are always the ones that are inviting everybody into their homes and inviting the family. this is one of my mom's recipes that i'm doing this year. >> we're going to make your mom's carrot cake. the first thing i notice is no mixers involved. >> no mixer, everything by hand, less cleaning. >> and also a different consistency. >> this is kind of a take of fruitcake mixed with a little carrot cake. nobody really likes fruitcake, everybody likes carrot cake. >> so bring it to the middle. what do you have here? >> flour, a little baking powder, baking soda. >> tell me about the spices. >> cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice ground up, toss it in there. super simple. i've got some eggs, some sugar, some oil. you can mix that up. like i said, this is one of the easiest recipes you'll ever make. just mix everything together. so we have our dry, our wet. that's the most important part of the recipe really. the rest is just to toss everything in there. >> let's talk about what you're

tossing in there because this is where the fruitcake side of this comes. you've got some carrots. >> carrots, pineapple, walnuts, dried cherries and some raisins. basically, like i said, a mix between the both but a mixture that everybody enjoys and actually eats it. >> so we combine these two together. >> combine all of this together until you have a nice, thick, smooth paste. >> couple of eight-inch baking pans with a little parchment paper below. >> i love to do that because it's simple, easy and nice as clean but you can use any kind of pan. whatever you have at home, go ahead and use. >> any carrot cake -- by the way, your maple syrup is really boiling over there. any great carrot cake has to have great icing and you've got a little difference with yours. you start with the basic. >> really really basic, cream cheese, sugar, icing sugar, a little bit of orange zest, a little oerrange juice and the mt

important par, you've got to try it. >> that's so good. >> you go ahead and get that one and i'll do this. >> and then you're going to stack these. >> i just really -- this is where you like to get the kids involved. in my family all the kids kind of come in and just have a good time. >> it doesn't have to be perfectly neat. >> it's cake, it's christmas, it's all about family and fun. >> talk to me about the sauce here. >> well, basically what i do is to garnish my cake, as you can see it over here, i've got these walnuts. all i've done is heated up some maple syrup. i'm going to toss those in here, stir them up. >> how long do they cook in here? >> this is all about getting them coated until you have no maple syrup in the pan. toss them on there, let them cool down and you have candy crystallized maple syrup. >> hi. >> speaking of nuts, look who's come in. >> well, we like to be part of the nut mix. >> exactly.

>> i'll have you try one of my traditional french -- this is a staple. if you're a grandmother in quebec, this is what you make. it's kid of like a brown sugar maple syrup fudge. you guys want to try that out. >> well, happy holidays, merry chuckmas. nice to see you. chuck, thank you very much. we'll have more on how to complete your holiday shopping right after your local news.

>> live, local, late-breaking - this wbal-tv 11 news in baltimore. >> good morning, it is 8:56. the baltimore city police officer is recovering after he was hit in the arm by friendly fire. anne arundel county police said the officer as part of the maryland state police drug task force and was assisting in an arrest when a baltimore county police officer paused gun

>> good morning, it will be a mild day but we will trade that off with off and on a shower is expected throughout the day and the high temperatures will be in the low to mid-'60s' it will be cooler later in the week with may be snow wednesday night.