tv Today NBC December 13, 2011 7:00am-9:00am EST
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good morning. face to face. former penn state assistant coach jerry sandusky headed to court this morning to hear his accusers lay out their claims of sexual abuse. what will they say? how will he react? and could sandusky himself take the stand? we're live at the courthouse. on the attack. gop front-runners newt gingrich and mitt romney take the gloves off with the iowa caucuses exactly three weeks away, while gingrich agrees to a pledge vowing fidelity to his third wife. and fountain of youth. would you like to live for hundreds, even thousands of years? remarkable, new breakthrough that could be on the horizon today, tuesday, december 13th, 2011. captions paid for by nbc-universal television
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and welcome today on this tuesday morning. i'm ann curry. >> and i'm matt lauer. a lot of eyes are going to be on that pennsylvania courtroom today. we're expecting testimony that is emotional and very graphic. >> that's right. this is going to be the first time the public and jerry sandusky will hear direct testimony from the alleged victims themselves. ten, as we all know, have now come forward, many who saw sandusky as a father figure, so you can begin to imagine just how tough it's going to be for them. it's also going to be wrenching for sandusky and his family. we'll get the latest and get perspective from our legal team of savannah guthrie and star jones, straight ahead. another story we've been covering, lauren scruggs was nearly killed when she walked into a plane's spinning propeller. ten days later, the model's recovery has taken yet another encouraging turn. we're going to hear from her father in a little while. also coming up, a wealth of
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topics with today's professionals, everything from denver broncos quarterback tim tebow, wearing his religion on his sleeve, to a new survey on what people are willing to do without to lose weight, and you might be surprised by what most of us would not give up to lose weight, matt. all right, but we begin on a tuesday morning with a big day in court for jerry sandusky. nbc's national investigative correspondent michael isikoff is at the courthouse in bellefonte, pennsylvania. michael, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, matt. a little more than a month after prosecutors first charged jerry sandusky with repeatedly abusing young boys, they're planning to lay out new details of their case today in what is expected to be a grueling, all-day hearing in this local courtroom. it's a classic courtroom confrontation, jerry sandusky faces his accusers for the first time since being charged. prosecutors need to show they
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have enough evidence to bring sandusky to trial. and nbc news has learned they plan to start out today with one of their strongest witnesses, a man identified in a grand jury report as victim 4, who says sandusky repeatedly forced him in to sexual encounters, including a penn state visit to the alamo bowl in san antonio, texas. >> priority number one for my client, and i presume for the other victims in this case, is to do what's right, and that's to put mr. sandusky in bars and to make sure that he's in jail for the rest of his life. >> reporter: victim 4 is also prepared to testify when he tried to distance himself from sandusky, the football coach tried to maintain the relationship by giving him money for marijuana and letting him smoke it in his car. sandusky's defense attorney, who says his client is innocent, plans to challenge aggressively the alleged victim's accounts, but he says what unfolds in court will be painful for sandusky and his wife. >> it's going to be very traumatic, it's going to be very
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heart wrenching for them, because again, you have to remember that at least in the case of several of these kids, that dottie and jerry treated them like members of their family. >> reporter: it's still unclear whether prosecutors will call assistant coach mike mcqueary, who's reportedly shifting accounts of what he saw in the penn state showers could make him a problematic witness. legal experts say the defense will hold back some of its cards but that the testimony could prove explosive. >> any time you're dealing with rape victims, there is a high likelihood of fireworks just because of the nature of the testimony. >> reporter: under pennsylvania law, prosecutors have a relatively low threshold to meet here today. they only have to show they have probable cause to bring the charges against sandusky to trial, but that should reveal a lot about just how strong their evidence is. matt? >> i'll take it, michael. thank you so much for your
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reporting. savannah guthrie is "today's" legal correspondent. we've got star jones, former prosecutor and veteran legal commentator. good morning to both of you. >> good morning. >> we heard michael talk about a low threshold. what does that mean? what is the minimum they've got to reach? >> it's a prima fascia case. this is basically the first look at what the prosecution has that a crime was committed and the person before you committed the crime. pennsylvania's a little bit different. it requires a preliminary hearing. that means that there must be direct evidence. this is a time for sandusky to face his accusers. either a victim has to testify or an eyewitness to the victim abuse for every -- >> for every charge. >> for every charge. >> in other words, this could take a couple of days. >> it could take more time than most preliminary hearings take. first of all, it is a lower threshold. most people are used to trials, in those trials, prosecutors have to put on proof of beyond a reasonable doubt. that's the highest legal threshold we have. this is much lower, just probable cause. secondly, most preliminary hearings in most states is just
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a matter of a police officer coming on the stand, he's allowed to give hearsay testimony in this setting, and say, okay, the alleged victim told me this or that. pennsylvania is different. it requires direct evidence of each element of each crime charged, which is why we may hear from some or all of the accusers. >> what about mike mcqueary, the assistant coach, do we have to hear from him? >> because he wasn't an alleged eyewitness, at least preliminarily, as we've been told from the grand jury summary, then it would suggest that he would testify, but a lot of people have been questioning him because there have been some conflicting stories. this is interesting. another thing that's in pennsylvania law, that credibility does not matter in this case. it's enough for someone to get on the stand and say i saw it, this person was under age, this is a crime, and those elements will be established. >> couldn't the defense have waived having the preliminary hearing? and what does it say to us that the defense has not waived? >> it's an incredible discovery opportunity for the defense. this is a huge day for the
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defense. they get to size up these accusers, hear their testimony, determine whether they're credible. and secondly, lock those accu accusers into a story. so, now they've told the story to the grand jury. they'll tell it today at the preliminary hearing. so, if this case gets to trial, and all expectations are that it will, then the defense can seize on any inconsistencies between the accusers' different accounts. and we're all humans. humans tell a story, something that happened to them, there will be little differences. if there are significant differences, that's a big opportunity. >> could sandusky take the stand? >> in theory, he could, but i don't think -- well, normally, a defense attorney would not do it, but this is this defense attorney. he has allowed him to do two major, major interviews, tell the story in ways that i've never heard a defendant do prior to even having been bound over at trial. >> defense attorneys would never put their client on the stand at this juncture. >> right. >> however, when asked, the defense attorney told reporters maybe i will. >> yeah. who knows? >> he's unorthodox. >> you never know what's going to happen.
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>> he's supposed to sit, listen and learn. this is the opportunity of a lifetime to know what the prosecution has against them. sit, get the information, discovery, and keep it in your back pocket. >> given that this is such a great opportunity for the defense, are there risks then that are inherent for the prosecution? and what kind of risks? >> the main risk is that they don't make out an element of one or more of the charges. but unlike a trial, that doesn't mean it's dismissed with prejudice. it just means you go back in and you get some additional evidence to bring forth. >> all right. thank you so much, both of you, for your perspective. obviously, we're going to see how this plays out today. it is 7:08. here's matt. >> ann, thanks. now to presidential politics. the iowa caucuses will be held three weeks from today, and the gop front-runners are stepping up their attacks on each other. chuck todd is nbc's political director, and of course, chief white house correspondent. chuck, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, matt. well, mitt romney is retooling his strategy for the republican nomination now that he's the underdog. he's focusing a lot of attacks on front-runner newt gingrich, but it was a semi-throwaway line
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romney gave on staying positive that has newt gingrich fired up this morning. >> how are you today? good. thanks for coming by to see me. >> reporter: when mitt romney was the front-runner, his strategy was to stay above the fray, but no longer. now romney is dialing up one attack after another against the current front-runner, newt gingrich, starting with the candidate's tone. >> i know that among some folks, just saying outrageous or incendiary things will get you a lot of kudos and deprive your numbers up, but it's not going to win us the white house. >> reporter: he also hit gingrich for not supporting paul ryan's medicare reform plan. >> gingrich said that the ryan plan, which was an entitlement reform plan, was right-wing social engineering. i was astonished. >> reporter: and for private sector ties to freddie mac. >> i think a fair question is asked, why did he profit as freddie mac failed? >> reporter: it was that attack which compelled gingrich, whose consulting firm made over $1.5 million in freddie mac fees, to give it right back to romney.
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>> if governor romney would like to give back all the money he's earned from bankrupting companies and laying off employees over his years, then i would be glad to then listen to him. i'll bet you $10, not $10,000, that he won't take the offer. >> reporter: that was a dig at romney's infamous debate bet. >> i'll tell you what, 10,000 bucks? >> reporter: the romney campaign shot back by circulating this gingrich clip from last year, praising romney as a businessman. >> governor romney in his business career created more jobs than the entire obama cabinet combined, so he could actually profit from it. >> reporter: despite the attacks, romney did pledge not to get too tough on gingrich. >> so, i'm not going to say outrageous things that could be used to hang him down the road. >> reporter: gingrich, under assault, picked up on the sentiment. >> and i appreciate governor romney taking that position, and i agree with him. >> reporter: meanwhile, gingrich, who is on his third marriage, agreed to a social conservative group's pledge asking candidates to uphold the institution of marriage through my personal fidelity to my
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spouse and affirming marriage as only between one man and one woman. romney reiterated his stance against gay marriage in a terse exchange with a vietnam veteran. >> you do not believe that everyone is entitled to their constitutional rights? >> no, actually, i think at the time the constitution was written, it was pretty clear that marriage is between a man and a woman, and i don't believe the supreme court has changed that. >> reporter: well, in this gingrich pledge on staying positive, he also says he'll ask any superpac that supports his candidacy to take down any negative ads. the motivation for that, romney's super pac is up with over $2 million in negative ads on gingrich already in iowa. bottom line, matt, this kumbaya idea, it's not going to last. >> chuck todd in washington. chuck, thank you very much. all right, let's get a check of the morning's other top stories with natalie morales at the news desk. hey, natalie. >> good morning, ann and matt, and good morning, everyone. a training exercise turned deadly overnight in washington state after two army helicopters at joint base lewis mcchord
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crashed, killing four aviators. local authorities are looking into what caused the two observation choppers to crash. occupy demonstrations heated up overnight again out west, where protesters forced shipping terminals to halt operations in oakland and portland. and in seattle, police dispersed protesters blocking a port entrance using stun grenades. in russia, vladimir putin is facing a new challenger in his run for president. nbc's stephanie gosk is in moscow with the latest on the billionaire giving putin a run for his money. stephanie, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, natalie. well, the political landscape in this country has changed dramatically in the last week. the opposition is suddenly energized, and it could pose a threat to vladimir putin's run for the presidency. and now, he faces a surprising new candidate. he is a multibillionaire tycoon. the majority owner of the nba's new jersey nets and a jet-setting playboy. now the 46-year-old says he also
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wants to be russia's president. >> translator: it is probably the most important decision in my life. i'm going to run for president. >> reporter: he made billions when he took over a state-owned metal company in the '90s. unlike other russian oligarchs, he had maintained a relatively good relationship with vladimir putin, until now. putin's government is facing a sudden, new wave of public defiance. his political party lost seats in parliamentary elections and is accused of trying to rig the vote. a nationwide opposition protest on saturday was the biggest this country has seen since the early '90s. two days later, a pro-government rally was considerably smaller, but in the shadow of the kremlin it was a reminder of who is in power. putin's political party did lose seats in the parliamentary election, but it is still the most powerful party in the country, and when putin runs for the presidency again in march, he's expected to win.
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progorov says the past week shows that the russian people care about their country. now he just has to convince him that he's the guy to improve it. there's an intrigue in this. this is after all russian. conspiracy theories believe prokhorov is running because the kremlin wants to split the opposition vote, so the political not thickens here. natalie? >> interesting conspiracy theory. stephanie gosk in moscow, thank you. yet another request for iran to return a top-secret drone to the u.s. is going ignored. the obama administration has formally requested that iran return the downed surveillance aircraft but admits there's little hope that tehran will comply. u.s. officials say it is tough to gauge just how much intelligence iran can obtain from the lost drone, but state tv there in iran is reporting that iranian experts are in the final stages of recovering data from that drone. now let's head to wall street. cnbc's courtney reagan is at the new york stock exchange.
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bad day yesterday, courtney. what's it looking like today? >> yeah, that's right, natalie. we've said it before and will say it again, headlines out of europe continue to steer trading here in the united states, and investors remain concerned that the solution that the european leaders came up with to solve the region's debt crisis may not be the best solution. meantime, a survey by manpower shows that hiring prospects are the best since we've seen before the financial meltdown of 2008. however, uncertainty about those staffing levels are also elevated at the highest level since 2005. natalie, back to you. >> all right, courtney reagan at the new york stock exchange. we'll be watching what happens there today. and verizon had central new jersey cell phone users in a panic on monday after the company sent a text message to customers warning of a "extraordinary threat to life and property," telling people to "take shelter now." the messages were signed "u.s. govern," leading many people to believe they were official. 911 call centers in the area
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were swamped with terrified residents, prompting homeland security to then announce there was no emergency. verizon later apologized, saying it was just a test message that was inadvertently sent out. that is a big whoopsy! 7:16 now. let's turn it back to matt, ann and al. >> that's exactly what the bottom of the text message said, whoopsy! >> didn't mean that. just a test. >> yeah, you think the message would have said dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria. >> mr. roker, what's happening? well, we've got a lot of snow to talk about out in the southwest, unbelievable where you're seeing the southwest getting more snow than traditional areas in our country. durango to taos, talking anywhere from 9 to 12 inches of snow. some places, flagstaff in the mountains could see 18 inches of snow. and then you can also see we've got some activity working its way through the midwest. icy conditions going to be the problem. freeze advisories in effect. icy travel from duluth to marquette, back to goodland.
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we're looking for about a tenth of an inch of frozen precipitation, not enough to bring down power lines and tree limbs, but enough to make for some hazardous travel. that's what's going on around the go >> good morning. there is some frost. it will be a touch warmer this afternoon. this afternoon, 51 degrees. and that's your latest weather. ann? >> all right, al, thank you. retail giant lowe's is facing a growing backlash this morning after pulling its advertising from a reality show featuring an all-muslim cast. nbc's kevin tibbles is in chicago with this story. hey, kevin, good morning. >> reporter: ann, lowe's says it
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dropped the ads because the show had become a lightning rod for complaint, but the home improvement giant had also been targeted by a florida group whose leader claims -- and i quote him here -- "the show was spreading muslim propaganda." it's a reality show that looks like many other reality shows on tv. a slice of life in america, five people from dearborn, michigan and all of the ups and downs of life along the way. it's called "all-american muslim" on tlc, a window into the world of america's islamic community. one of the stars is a 32-year-old judicial aid for the dearborn judicial court, sueheila. >> dispelling the thoughts of muslims in this country. >> reporter: but one group
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accuses them of undermining american values. >> islam is a progressive ideology that wants to dominate the world. >> reporter: the florida family association launched an online campaign encouraging followers to petition the show's sponsors to pull their ads. >> we're concerned that americans are being fed propaganda that's not complete as it relates to islam. >> reporter: home improvement giant lowe's is the latest in what the group claims is a list of some 65 advertisers who have left. >> it's just sad that people feel that they need to respond to bigots. >> reporter: in a statement, lowe's says "all-american muslim has become a lightning rod for people to voice complaints." but adds, "we have a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion, and we're proud of that longstanding commitment. if we have made anyone question that commitment, we apologize." is dearborn where 30% of the population is of arab descent hurt and anger. >> i think it's wrong of them to
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think that muslims are terrorists. >> reporter: and trending on twitter -- "i see that lowe's has caved to those promoting ignorance and intolerance." also -- "last time i checked, this was still the united states of america, where businesses are free to advertise where and how they want." hip-hop artist and successful businessman russell simmons tweeted -- "just purchased remaining spots for all-american muslim for next week. the show is now sold out! keep your money, lowe's, and we will keep ours." now, lowe's says it's not going to go back on its decision on this. interestingly enough, a number of the other companies involved say they didn't drop their ads, they just didn't have any ads purchased in the first place. ann? >> all right, kevin tibbles. thank you so much for that story. and just ahead, are political in michelle parker's family losing hope they'll ever find her again? what are they also telling her 3-year-old twins? you're going to hear from parker's sister coming up after
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still ahead, the latest chapter in the miraculous recovery of a young model badly injured when she walked into an airplane's spinning propeller. plus, is it really possible to live forever? what scientists are now doing to unlock the secret to reversing the aging process. that's coming up after your local news. center pieces. you're a miracle worker sabrina soto. [sfx: doorbell rings] and you can mix your seasonal pieces with your everyday china. [sfx: knocking on door] and now you need to hide. oh, i love the mercury glass pieces on the mantel, we could put some evergreen pieces... you know a simple touch like adding. oh, i think we should quickly decorate the hallway, wouldn't that be fun? maybe just put some...oh thank you so much, i'm going to bring you a snack later. wait, i still need to talk to you about led candles. happy holiday's. hey! hi! please come in. you know ornaments, they make a great centerpiece. dinner with the girls tonight. i really want dessert. i better skip breakfast. yep, this is all i need.
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>> this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am stan stovall. occupy baltimore protesters are the thing for a new place to gather after being evicted from their downtown encampment this morning. they had been at the mckeldin square for weeks but were forced to leave by baltimore city police. we are told that all protesters left peacefully. here is sarah caldwell and traffic pulse 11. >> tracking a brand new accident
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in manchester. if you travel along route 30, this may impact the area of hollen dry. west side outer loop, around 17 mi. per hour from 795 to edmondson. you can see these delays out of the owings mills area heading towards the beltway. topside of the beltway on the outer loop, 28 miles per hour on average. 13 miles per hour approaching white marsh. southbound 83, down from middletown to mount carmel. we will show you what looks like on our cameras. tied up traffic and there. 95 and o'donnell running pretty well. that is the latest on traffic pulse 11. >> things are pretty quiet for us to it state -- pretty quiet for us this tuesday morning.
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♪ well, that's pretty. 7:30 now on a tuesday morning 13th day of december, 2011. it's a beautiful morning here in new york city. we're taking a look at the view from the top of the rock here in rockefeller center, as we look southward past the empire state building. that is 1 world trade center being built in the distant background there. 12 shopping days left until christmas. let's see what kind of a crowd we have down on the plaza. lots of people in town these days doing a little shopping and sight-seeing. we appreciate that. we'll go outside and say hi to them in just a couple of minutes. >> want to thank davie for the little music. that's kind of uplifting this morning. >> puts us in the mood. inside studio 1a, i'm matt lauer alongside ann curry. just ahead this half hour, the texas model who suffered life-threatening injuries ten days ago when she walked into a
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plane's spinning propeller. now she's walking on her own. we'll have the latest on her recovery, coming up. okay, also this morning, we'll be talking about the toughest bans on junk food in the country. we're talking about seattle. but the schools there are now considering putting sugary snacks back into the vending machines, and that's causing a lot of people to be up in arms. so, we'll get into that controversy coming up. of course, everybody's concerned about making sure we don't put foods in these machines because we don't want our kids to be overweight. so, we're tackling that problem. >> that's right. when you speak of weight, a lot of people want to lose weight, but what would you be willing to give up to shed 10 pounds? how about your cell phone for a day? how about sex for a month? >> ooh! >> we'll tell you what americans have to say in a new survey and we'll talk about that with "today's" professional star donnie and nancy. but first, kerry sanders. >> reporter: good morning, matt. up until now, the search for
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michelle parker has involved hundreds of volunteers out searching the underbrush, raising money for reward money and providing any snippet of information they could to the orlando police detectives who are looking for the 33-year-old woman. but now, all of that has changed. the make-shift command post where michelle parker's family was camped almost around the clock is now empty. a sign to some family and friends close to the investigation that this near 1-month-old search has now shifted from an expectation that michelle or her body would be located quickly to what could be turning into a long-term mystery. michelle's family tells nbc news they're now focused on her 3-year-old twin son and daughter. >> i'm doing what i have to do. i'm waking up every day and making sure that i'm doing everything i can, as well as the rest of my family, to help the kids and find their mother. >> reporter: michelle's sister, lauren, tells nbc's "dateline," the family has now liberal visitation rights, and all are now spending as much time as
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they can with the twins. >> they're doing okay. they ask, you know, about mom every now and again. >> reporter: if the children asked "where is mommy?" everybody's been told to say mommy's at work or mommy's on vacation. >> when they do ask, you know, she'll be home soon. she's just not here right now. but that's as far as, you know, we take it with them. >> reporter: michelle's mother says the family is overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from friends and strangers. >> and i can't thank you guys enough for everything. >> reporter: she says it's been a few highs and many lows. one promising lead, when michelle's iphone was found tossed in an orange county lake. >> it broke my heart. that was my hope is that they would never find that phone and that she still had it, at some point, she could get to it, you know? that's when i really started to think this isn't going to end well. >> reporter: orlando police say remarkably, the phone was in
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good shape, but it's now been six days and a police spokesman says forensics experts are still trying to extract data that could be useful to the investigation. michelle's ex-fiance, dale wayne smith, the only suspect identified by the orlando police, has custody of the children. smith is not charged, remains free and denies any involvement. the last time smith was seen with michelle was just hours after an episode of "the people's court" aired. the two were there arguing over a lost engagement ring. >> i took it off and i threw it at him. >> reporter: now, smith himself is on facebook seeking $5,000 in donations to help support the twins. he's raised only $240. meanwhile, this past weekend, michelle's friends, anxious for answers, did what they could. a truck pull to raise a different source of money for the children, funds that will be used to buy them christmas presents.
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the twins, a boy and a girl, taylor and tre, have indicated to family members that what they would like for christmas is a little tinker bell toy and a lightning mcqueen toy. there is another child, an 11-year-old that michelle had with another man, that is 11-year-old austin. he's indicated he wants an atv, but the family says what they really want is michelle home alive and safe. matt? >> all right, kerry sanders for us in florida this morning. kerry, thank you very much. it's 7:35. here's ann. matt, thanks. now to the miraculous recovery of a texas woman who accidentally walked into a plane's still spinning propeller. natalie's here with the latest on this story. hey, natalie. >> good morning, ann. it's been a little over a week after that accident and it is still touch-and-go for the 23-year-old model, but new details are emerging that suggest lauren scruggs is well on the road to recovery. >> wanted to let you know that we are starting a pumpkin carving contest on "lolo" magazine. >> reporter: just ten days after the propeller accident that left her critically injured, aspiring
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model and fashionista lauren scruggs is showing remarkable signs of recovery. on monday, her family posted a new blog entry online with hopeful news, saying "praise the lord, lauren's pain is much more manageable today!" "she has been eating some of her favorite foods today, sweet potatoes and hard boiled eggs!" and probably the most encouraging news yet, her deeply religious parents write, "lauren was able to walk on her own today, such a miracle!" >> i am lauren scruggs with "lolo" mag. >> reporter: the 23-year-old fashion blogger has a passion for flying. a week ago saturday, she flew over dallas in a single-engine plane with a friend to see christmas lights around the city. but as she exited the plane, she accidentally walked into the still spinning propeller. lauren suffered a number of critical injuries. her left hand was severed. she has a skull fracture, a brain injury, a broken collar bone, and she may still lose her left eye.
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>> she's got her spunk back, her personality. >> yeah, her personality. >> she's smiling. her face, you know, she's able to raise both eyebrows. >> yeah. >> that doesn't sound like a big deal, but they were worried about the nerve on one side. >> reporter: friends and neighbors have rallied around lauren. over the weekend, they raised nearly $15,000 to help pay her extensive medical bills. >> most are just our regular customers, would come in and they have thrown money in the bucket. >> reporter: lauren's facebook page and blog are full of well wishes from friends and strangers around the world, praying for her recovery. >> we're just seeing an outpouring from across the country and also across the world. we're getting e-mails from everywhere, and we just really appreciate all that everyone's doing for us, from prayers and donations. >> and while lauren is making progress, she still has a long way to go. she's working with a physical therapist now to improve her strength, and doctors are still not sure if she'll regain the use of her left eye, ann. >> all right, natalie. thank you so much. now let's get a check of the
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weather from al. >> announcer: today's weather is brought you by kay jewelers. every kiss begins with kay. good morning, everybody. we've got the testa twins here. how are you guys doing? what's your name? >> i'm zane. >> and? >> michael. >> michael. good to see you guys! where are you from? >> rhode island. >> well, nice to see you. i like the matching hats. very festive. let's find out what's going on as far as your day is concerned. afternoon temperatures. we've got 30s and 40s here in new england, 60s and 70s down into southern florida. we also are looking at some freezing rain making its way through the midsection of the country. we're also looking at icy conditions northern minnesota into the arrowhead there. air stagnation alert continues in the pacific northwest, and the snow continues in the southwest. and who got engaged? i can't even tell. oh, there you are! >> i got engaged, nicole. >> where's your fiance? >> he's back in dallas.
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>> he beat it out of town! oh, there's the ring. very nice. congratulations. >> thank you. >>s. >> good morning. it will be warmer than yes slick in the afternoon. mostly sunny is our forecast. and don't forget, you can check your weather any time of the day or night. go to the weather channel on cable or weather.com online. ann? >> all right. you look adorable, by the way, in that hat, al. thank you so much. coming up next, fight the bulge or boost the budget? why schools in one major city are now reconsidering their vending machine ban on junk food. that's right after this. - neil lane's jewelry designs are uniquely beautiful.
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we're back at 7:42 with a dilemma facing schools in seattle, washington. should a long-standing ban on junk food in campus vending machines be changed to help the schools make a little more money? nbc's george lewis is in seattle with details on this. george, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, matt. behind me you see a row of typical vending machines with the usual soft drinks and snacks. we had the chips ahoy for breakfast. at schools here in seattle, however, you won't find that sort of stuff in machines because of a junk food ban that went into effect seven years ago. now, that could change. in the seattle schools, vending machines can dispense only healthy stuff, no soft drinks, no candy bars. it's one of the toughest junk food bans in the nation. so, what do you have in your vending machine? >> um, baked chips, water, juice, yeah, not much. >> reporter: so, by and large,
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students ignore the machines and buy their junk food off campus. >> if we can go five minutes and get candy and stuff, it's not like they're preventing us from having it. they're just making it slightly harder to obtain. >> reporter: before the junk food ban, the machines generated more than $200,000 for student activities every year. this year, they've only made $17,000. so, the financially strapped school system is thinking of rewriting the rules. >> we're still sitting with the same policy we had seven years ago, so it's time to take a look. >> reporter: parents we talked to seem divided on the idea of relaxing the junk food ban. >> i'm really not a fan. i think kids should, any chance they get, should get something halfway healthy, any chance. >> as a parent, i mean, you know, if you have -- i'm always worried that one of my kids is at school and feeling low and needs energy, you know, before they're taking a test or something, i'd rather have them have a snicker bar than nothing. >> reporter: but any talk about relaxing the rules has some
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dieticians up in arms. >> i don't think it can be an option to go backwards and now create revenue from unhealthy food items for children. we know that there is an obesity epidemic in our country. >> reporter: students who have been lobbying for the rule change say their efforts have been somewhat misrepresented. >> we are not bringing back junk food, the cokes, the chips, the bad stuff. we're not bringing that back. what we're trying to do is modify the current policy in order to bring other nutritious foods back that students will buy. >> reporter: this debate is giving students and parents in seattle plenty of food for thought. students tell me they're willing to forego the candy bars and the sugary sodas if they could just get items like vitamin water or hummus or maybe some granola bars with a little chocolate in it. matt? >> george, thank you. you never impressed me as a chips ahoy kind of guy. i saw you as a cap'n crunch kind of guy. thank you, we appreciate it.
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is it possible to live forever? hear what some scientists are saying after. . if you have painful, swollen joints, i've been in your shoes. one day i'm on top of the world... the next i'm saying... i have this thing called psoriatic arthritis. i had some intense pain. it progressively got worse. my rheumatologist told me about enbrel. i'm surprised how quickly my symptoms have been managed. [ male announcer ] because enbrel suppresses your immune system, it may lower your ability to fight infections. serious, sometimes fatal events including infections, tuberculis, lymphoma, other cancers, and nervous system and blood disorders have occurred. before starting enbrel, your doctor should test you for tuberculosis and discuss whether you've been to a region where certain fungal infections are common. don't start enbrel if you have an infection like the flu. tell your doctor if you're prone to infections, have cuts or sores, have had hepatitis b, have been treated for heart failure, or if, while on enbrel, you experience persistent fever, bruising, bleeding, or paleness. get back to the things that matter most. ask your rheumatologist if enbrel is right for you.
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[ male announcer ] enbrel. the #1 biologic medicine prescribed by rheumatologists. but they should always be comfortable. [ nicole ] how do they feel? [ woman ] they feel wicked good. 'cause it's the wicked good slipper. [ nicole ] my name is nicole waite. i sell wicked good slippers. and the holidays are made here at l.l.bean, where your order ships for free. they're itchy, dry and uncomfortable. i can't wait to take 'em out, throw 'em away and never see them again. [ male announcer ] know the feeling? get the contacts you've got to see to believe. acuvue® oasys brand contact lenses with hydraclear® plus technology, keeping your eyes exceptionally comfortable all day long. it feels like it disappeared on my eye. [ male announcer ] discover why it's the brand eye doctors trust most for comfort. if you have astigmatism, there's an acuvue® oasys lens for that too, realigning naturally with every blink.
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ask your doctor for acuvue® oasys brand. it's a great hd tv... shhh. don't speak. i'll just leave you two alone. [ male announcer ] the big christmas event is here. starting 8 a.m. saturday. with great deals on toys, electronics and more... the only place to go for last minute gifts is walmart. electronics and more... a vacation on a budget with expedia. make it work. booking a flight by itself is an uh-oh. see if we can "stitch" together a better deal. that's a hint, antoine. ooh! see what anandra did? booking your flight and hotel at the same time gets you prices hotels and airlines won't let expedia show separately. book it. major wow factor!
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where you book matters. expedia. back now at 7:48 with the latest discovery that has some scientists asking if it is possible to live forever. nbc's michelle kosinski's here with details. hey, michelle, good morning. >> hi, good morning, ann. you know, you talk to some top researchers, microbiologists, molecular geneticists, and it's hard to believe what they're saying is real and not science fiction. there's a growing group of scientists that sees aging not necessarily as an inevitability, but a problem that they believe can be fixed. in science labs around the world, right now the race is heating up to reverse human aging. you heard right. not slow it down or fix it up, but turn it around, by things like regenerating tissues and organs, using stem cells, computers. there's a printer that makes blood vessels, mice that regrow
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intestines. >> what would excite me is that i'm working on the world's biggest, oldest problem. >> reporter: there's someone alive today who could live for thousands of years? >> i don't think there is any limit. there is nothing that would stop people intrinsically from people living thousands of years. >> reporter: at 1,000-year-old cambridge university, where back then people hardly lived past their 20s, they're spearheading research, gathering experts to end aging. they see it not at all as a necessity, but a problem, a build-up of damage and gunk in ourselves. he just isolated an enzyme in bacteria that fixes that and might work in human cells, too. >> when we get these therapies, the world is going to be very different. >> reporter: there are all kinds of ideas out there -- implanted computer chips to operate mechanical body parts -- >> here, why don't you take these? >> reporter: and a supplement created by american geneticist bill andrews, that he says
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shortens our tell meres, which is a main reason why we age. >> the main reason i want to live forever, it's fun to be alive. >> yes. >> reporter: inspired by his dad, who challenged him as a child to become a doctor and cure aging. >> the literature tells us that i would say 95% certain or better that if we can find ways to lengthen the telomeres, we will reverse aging. >> reporter: there are doubters, but some believe real breakthrough in lifespan are possible, soon. there is a book on why society believes we could live to 100 or 1,000. if there's reason to live, you might eat more potato chips on the couch. >> you might. the idea of a longer lifespan gives you more opportunity to try new things and be more adventurous. >> reporter: these scientists pushing their mortal minds to the limit. >> would you hurry up? >> yeah. >> i promised that i would reach 150. >> reporter: to, as they put it, cure aging or die trying.
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and it's not just about extending lifespan, it's about extending health. and it's funny to hear them talk about this as if it was a car, that if you keep replacing the parts, theoretically, it could last forever. but you know, this research is in the very early stages. there's not a lot of funding and no human has ever lived past 125. >> 125 is pretty good, but boy, wouldn't it be something, matt, to live further? what would we do with our time? >> what's your definition of soon that they're going to come up with this stuff? is this going to help me? >> 10 years, 20 years? >> yeah, you're going to live forever as a 70-year-old, how about that? >> thanks, michelle. just ahead, tim tebow. [ female announcer ] why shop at walgreens for your stocking stuffers?
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>> this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. time for a check of your morning commute with sarah caldwell. >> still tracking a few problems out there, delays as well. pulaski highway in aberdeen, we have an accident. looking good out of the aberdeen region, but in the white marsh area, heading down to the 895 split. north side backed up at belair road to the harrisburg expressway. 12 miles per hour on the west side. in a live from greenspring
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towards the j.f.x., because of the j.f.x. southbound delays. accident still clearing at the intersection of rte. 30 and hollen dry. at harford road, sun glare at issue. j.f.x. is tapping the brakes from the beltway all the way down to its 28. that is the latest on traffic pulse 11. hi, tony. >> it is cold and quiet. it will warm up quickly this morning. we will sneak into the fifties this afternoon. 29 at the airport. 26 and parkton. you will probably have to scrape frost off if your windshield this morning. mostly sunny is our forecast going into the afternoon. yesterday we had 46. today, upper 40's and 50's. about the same tomorrow.
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8:00 now on a tuesday morning. it's the 13th of december 2011, and our crowd is trying to enjoy the warm glow of that big norway spruce across the street, even though it's a very cold morning this morning, now down to 33 degrees here on the plaza. so, obviously, winter is here. i'm ann curry on the plaza along with matt lauer and al roker. let's give ourselves a big hug because it's one of those mornings. >> let's also ask al to say -- >> you rascally rabbit, you! >> i was trying to avoid that, but you do look like elmer fudd. it is a cozy and cute hat. speaking of cozy and cute, we're talking about "today's
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professionals." >> they are in the studio right now. we have an interesting set of topics for them to discuss this morning, including the tim tebow phenomenon, also a new survey that asked americans what they'd be willing to give up to lose 10 pounds. so, how about this? would you turn your cell phone off for a day to lose 10 pounds? >> sure. >> how about giving up sex for a month? >> no. >> i'm happy heavier. >> we're going to be asking donnie, star and nancy about that survey and other things. >> okay, what else? >> oh, we've got "jill's steals and deals" coming up. she is going to be bringing us some really nifty stuff for up to 80% off just in time for the holidays. >> you must be exhausted. she just keeps doing all this shopping, finding all these deals. >> and up in the kitchen, we've got sandra lee. >> that's right. doing some cooking. >> on her cell phone. >> i'm not giving up my cell phone. not happening. no way. >> what she's going to do up in the kitchen is help us save time in the kitchen because so many of us are running around for
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these holidays. >> right. >> a time -- you know, we don't have time. >> true. >> going to help us out. >> we don't have time out here. let's go inside to natalie. >> good morning, everyone. former penn state assistant football coach jerry sandusky is getting his day in court this morning. he left his home early this morning and arrived at the courthouse. at least one of the young men who's accused sandusky of sexual abuse is testifying against him today in a preliminary hearing. today's hearing will determine whether there is enough evidence to put sandusky on trial. the government has released a disturbing report about safety violations at head start centers around the country. according to the report, many of them had broken-down playground equipment, dangerous chemicals within reach and improper background checks for workers. head start is the federal program that provides early education to low-income students. meantime, the obama administration says that homelessness now among the nation's veterans fell by about 12% over a recent 12-month
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period. according to administration officials, more veterans are taking part in a voucher program that helps subsidize their housing costs. texas investigators are trying to figure out today how two middle school students in texas were shot while they were playing on the school's outdoor basketball court. authorities are questioning three deer hunters to see if they may have accidentally shot the children while hunting in a nearby pasture. one child is in critical condition. the other is stable. troubling news from syria. one top united nations official says the government has killed more than 5,000 civilians since the uprising began there nine months ago. among the dead, at least 300 children. and now for a look at what is trending today, our quick roundup of what has you talking online. reality bites for former alaska governor, sarah palin. according to "the hollywood reporter," she's pitching a new reality show about her husband, todd's adventures as a snowmobile racer, but so far, no
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takers because the price is too high. then, you've seen the denver broncos quarterback tim tebow take a knee in prayer, people calling it tebowing. and now, it is an official word, according to the global language monitor. tim tebow has even inspired a website called tebowing.com, showing everyone from goofy to a surgeon to an underwater snor l snorkeler all striking a pose. and sorry, charlie, didn't you learn anything from anthony weiner? he tried to send a cell phone number to justin bieber with a direct message on twitter. well, he accidentally tweeted his number to millions of followers instead. no surprise, he was inundated with calls and text messages and even answered some of the calls saying "ray's pizza" or "winning!" the number has now been disconnected. it's 8:04 right now. let's go out to al for a check of your weather. >> announcer: today's weather is brought to you by citibank. what's your story? citi can help you write it.
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and we've got a little guy here. who's this? >> this is ryan. >> aww, how old? >> 3 months. >> he is beautiful. >> first time to new york. >> oh, that's fantastic. hi, ryan. merry christmas. and whoa, you're scaring the baby! wow. you're retired now? >> yes. >> you need a job as a car alarm! fantastic! let's check your weather, see what's happening. green bay, wisconsin, nbc 26. cloudy, cool, temperatures in the 30s. and as we look, showing you we've got a lot of snowy conditions in the southwest. it's snowier in the southwest than in the northeast. go figure. icy conditions up through the upper plains on into the midwest. sunny skies along the eastern seaboard, a little on the chilly side. rip currents, some showers along the eastern florida coast, more snow in the four corners, and we're looking at air stagnation
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alerts in the pacific northwest. got some miami country day teachers. say hi to your students. >> good morning. there is some frost. it will be a touch warmer this afternoon. this afternoon, 51 degrees. turning 10 there. happy birthday. i dare you to talk to me. i can't do that. i don't take dares. good to see you, though. what's your name? >> um, wait, what? >> what's your name? >> oh, my name is matt. >> see, you dared me to talk to you, i did and look what
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happened. okay! ann? >> you know what? that happened with me the first time i was on television, too, matt, so don't worry about that. coming up next, what would you be willing to give up to lose 10 pounds? we're going to find out from "today's" professionals. but first, these messages. [ woman ] my boyfriend and i were going on vacation, so i used my citi thank you card to pick up some accessories. a new belt. some nylons. and what girl wouldn't need new shoes? we talked about getting a diamond. but with all the thank you points i've been earning... ♪ ...i flew us to the rock i really had in mind. ♪ [ male announcer ] the citi thank you card. earn points you can use for travel on any airline, with no blackout dates. earn points you can use for travel on any airline, it'snow you do it... ♪
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dulera will not replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. dulera helps significantly improve lung function. this was shown over a 6 month clinical study. dulera contains formoterol, which increases the risk of death from asthma problems and may increase the risk of hospitalization in children and adolescents. dulera is not for people whose asthma is well controlled with a long-term asthma control medicine, like an inhaled corticosteroid. once your asthma is well controlled your doctor will decide if you can stop dulera and prescribe a different asthma control medicine, like an inhaled corticosteroid. do not take dulera more than prescribed. see your doctor if your asthma does not improve or gets worse. ask your doctor if dulera can help you breathe easier. ♪
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can help you breathe easier. yi mean you've got like five chundred dollars worth of nuts here, you do the math. be five percent more merry with the target red card, by getting an extra 5% off, our already low prices. plus free shipping at target.com ♪ i'll be taking care of business every day ♪ we're back at 8:10 with "today's professionals," ready to tackle the day's hot topics. we're joined as always by star jones, donny deutsch and dr. nancy snyderman. good morning, all. >> hey, matt. >> good morning. >> nice to see you. let's talk about the topic in the headlines the last few days. mitt romney during a debate offers rick perry a $10,000 bet. did the media make too much of that story? how do you think it played in the heartland? >> i watched it live, and it was one of those moments where i immediately went -- [ gasp ] and even in your own living room, everything came to a halt it was a disastrous move. >> look, the main things the candidates are saying in the
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scheme of things, it's not a big deal. you have little kids who will say i'll bet you a million dollars. >> but he's not a little kid. >> by the way, people say oh, because he's wealthy. jack kennedy's family was the fifth wealthiest family in the country when he was elected. this is not a problem. it's irrelevant. >> the problem is, no one resents when you're rich. we resent when you don't take into account that other people are not -- >> but that's -- >> and using a $10,000 bet -- >> it's out of touch. >> but donny gets to the point, it doesn't matter how much money you have, it matters whether you have solutions to fix the problems of middle class and poor people. >> but there were no solutions offered up in that debate. >> let's move on, tim tebow. a lot of people talking about this quarterback for the denver broncos right now. he's immensely talented and charismatic and is also deeply religious, and he wears his religion on his sleeve. i'll go further on this, but i want your first impressions. is it a problem? >> boy, if that's our biggest problem, we have a wonderful athlete who's religious. and opposed to carrying on in
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the end zone and acting like an idiot, shows his faith to god. god bless him. it's a wonderful thing. >> i think he wears his religion in his heart and i really like that. i find him completely sincere -- >> you know what, it makes me a little uncomfortable every time i see anyone, i don't care what your religion is, sort of put it out there. however, there is something about him that is phenomenally authentic, and i didn't love the super bowl ad they did last year, but there is something about him. he really sort of seems to live it. so, the fact that he's now being mimicked and the fact that he's not being a jerk in the end zone -- >> i think it's ridiculous. i think it's ridiculous that there's even a minute controversy over this. >> but you made a good point yesterday, and that is everyone keeps saying, well, he can't be that good. he's 7-1! >> also, this is a guy, we don't seem to mind where in another sport, a guy wins an event and they say how did you do? and he says i want to thank my federal express, viagra,
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snickers team, but we mind when they thank jesus christ some. >> listen, he didn't shoot anybody in the leg, he's not with underaged kids -- >> would we be discussing this if it was a black athlete? we wouldn't be discussing it. >> i agree with you on that. >> let's stick with religion and culture here. lowe's, as we all know, pulled its advertising from a show on tlc called "all-american muslim," which follows the lives of muslim americans living in the michigan area. donny, an advertising guy, were you surprised by the move? >> well, no, sadly, no. look, the reality is, 99.999% of muslims are wonderful in this country, and what they're reacting to, unfortunately, is tens of thousands of letters they're probably getting from audiences saying we don't like the show. and if the ceo has one responsibility to the shareholders, he's probably saying i just don't need this headache. the same way if he got letters from angry italian americans about "jersey shore" and he goes, i just don't need it i don't think it's a moral
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judgment, i think it's a business decision and they have a right to do that. >> in northern indiana, there's a large muslim population. i think this is a chance for a ceo to say i hear the 1%, but guess what? these are muslim americans representing the heartland. we get it, we're going to listen to you, but we're going forward. that would have been a very courageous move. >> and i like the opposite thing. i like the fact that other people said, oh, you're going to pull your advertising? then we're not going to support you. that's the american way. >> which is great, but the american way is also capitalism. i don't agree with the ceo, but he has a right to make a decision, what he thinks is right for his business. >> by the way, the florida family association, which kind of prompted all this, says the show is propaganda that "riskily hides the agenda's liberties and values." >> and that bothers me. >> when you run a controversial show, it gets this discussion up and we get to hear innane, stupid things like that. >> let's lighten things up, no
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pun intended. according to a survey by lifetime fitness, they asked people what they'd be willing to give up to lose 10 pounds. how about these results? 64% of respondents would not turn off their cell phone for even one day. >> wow. >> what does that say about our -- the health-consciousness of america? >> wow! >> 10 pounds? i don't have to take any calls? i won't be taking calls. >> sad. sad. we are such an over, over, over technolized society, they wouldn't give that up for 10 pounds, but they would give up sex? >> 10% would give up sex for a year or more. >> you know, you can never be too skinny or too rich, so people think, but you -- >> or have too much sex! >> no, but you know what? to give up sex and your sexuality and communication, i think that's a phenomenally disturbing stat. >> human communication. i like that. >> you like that?
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>> matt, she's touching me again, matt. >> it's all about connecting. >> it's all about dieting. >> here's the kicker for you. this is -- i mean nothing by this. it's purely lighthearted. according to a new survey by menshealth.com, which is my bible, jennifer aniston is the sexiest woman of all time, not the sexiest woman of sitcoms of the last ten years. >> no, so cleopatra doesn't even rank. >> of all time. how do you think about this? >> she is the definition of not sexy. she's cute, but with sophia loren and raquel welch -- i want to know which men answered that survey. >> i can't believe halle berry is 35 and jen aniston is 1. she's cute and beautiful, but i've got to tell you, i saw halle working out in the morning with no lashes, no makeup -- >> i thought you were going to say with nothing on. >> think about this. just by comparison, you mentioned halle berry is at 35. you know where elizabeth taylor ranks on this? >> 60s? >> 69. >> shas unbelievable.
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>> she is gorgeous. >> bo derek, 56. >> marilyn monroe, top ten, i think. >> she was 3, followed by britney spears, madonna, ursula andrus, pamela anderson, eight, angelina jolie at ten. >> and i've got to say madonna is one of the least sexy women walking the earth. >> can i nominate natalie morales? seriously, for her not to be in the top ten, it's atrocious. but jennifer aniston, to speak on behalf of men, she is -- men do not find her sexy. she's cute. i'm sorry, jennifer. i know we had a bad night, it has nothing to do with that. >> the hair, but whatever. >> raquel welch. >> sexy is in the eye of the beholder. it's different than good looking. >> star, donny and dr. nancy. sandra lee saves some money and time-saving meals for the busy holidays, right after this. [ female announcer ] ornaments are not for decorating.
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kitchen step-by-step," a hardy feast your family will love. during the hectic holiday season, it's hard to find time to deliver a homemade meal, but sandra lee has some solutions for us. her new book is called "money saving meals & round 2 recipes." hello, sandra, good morning to you. >> hello. i love being with you! >> i love being with you, too. happy holidays. now listen, we want to save time in the kitchen because we're busy running around. you're saving us time and money. what are the best tips for that in general? >> when you look at money-saving meals, one of the first things i do in that book is itemize how you're going to save money. my favorite thing is joining a club store, and that is your sam's, costco, bjs, whatever your club is. $50 membership, you'll save that on the first receipt and they'll last a year. you'll save a ton of money. next thing, when you go to the grocery store, know when the sales are. if you have a name-brand products, they're normally on sale the first of the month. we all get our paychecks then and the store private labels go on sale at the end of the month, so watch your sales.
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and next, clip coupons. some people like to do it, some not so much, but the 50, 25-cent off coupons, sometimes it's double down days. you can save up to $15. and on the back side of your receipt, i was at my a&p, i got a receipt, the back side said 15% off your next purchase. >> wow. >> so save those coupons. >> give me five. a lot of great advice there. okay, now, let's talk about what you've brought today, which is not an expensive cut of meat. tell us about it. >> absolutely. in "round 2 recipes and money-saving meals," you're not going to waste anything and you can buy beautiful, beautiful produce and meats. now, these are shortbreads. i'm putting them in the slow cooker. the slow cooker is a great way to save money because you can take what is normally a tough piece of meat and you can really make it a beautiful, beautiful -- >> you're browning it first. we all know how to do that. >> yes, brown that. >> and put it in the slow cooker. >> in the slow cooker, i have turnip, onions diced up and carrots.
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>> can we put that in a pot? >> i do it in the oven on 250 for six hours and they are melt in your mouth fabulous. >> okay, all right. >> now, here's the trick, too -- >> i'm going to put some of this stuff in? >> yes, we're going to put in our rosemary and thyme and parsley. >> okay, there you go. there we go. and our? >> lots of root vegetables. parsnip. here -- >> nicely done! >> you've got to simmer -- >> i know, now we're talking, now we're talking. >> dark beer. >> only dark beer? >> richer. >> richer, okay, bring it. >> more bold flavor. >> okay, we've got mustard. >> brown mustard. >> inside this? mix it all together, and a fancy blouse because you know it will splatter on you, because that's what i'm doing. >> i'm going to do that because i want to break up that mustard. >> okay, you do it. break it up. >> the reason we're combining the liquids together, we're combining the flavor. >> yes. >> and you always have to have a liquid in the slow cooker. that way you don't get a big douse of mustard on one side, right? >> good point. let's move on. >> cover it, six hours on low. >> six hours and it's going to
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show up like this. your entire family, make a salad and you're done. >> four people. that's about $4, $5 a serving. >> so, the only part of the time it's saving is -- $4.59. oh, hey, nicely done. but it saves time because you've stuck it in this thing and don't have to worry about it, so there you go. let's move back here. >> and it's a fraction of the electricity costs as the oven, the slow cooker. >> okay, all right. >> great christmas. >> this doesn't sound like it's going to save me any time at all. a savory tart with mushrooms. >> mushroom walnut tart. okay, onions. a little canola oil and saute them up. here are your mushrooms. a lot of people think you're going to buy whole mushrooms and slice them yourself, exact same price if you buy them sliced, so save yourself some time. >> and you don't have troins th rinse them off or anything? because they're going to get soggy. >> normally, you brush them of >> brush them still when they're sliced? >> no, they clean them for you. i don't. >> okay, there you go. that saves time. garlic and? >> and thyme. >> okay.
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we all want thyme. >> we all want thyme. >> this is going to take me what, 15 minutes? >> yeah, 10 -- >> 10, 15 minutes. now, but i don't want to make this dough. >> you're going to buy premade -- >> premade. >> this is premade pie shell dough. however, you can also get the rollout ones. if you already have stuff in your pantry -- and that's the most important thing with "money saving meals." throughout this book, we are buying things to go in the pantry that are common, everyday items. you use them over and over again. that's how you save money. if you have the rollout shells, just use -- i know, convecti convection -- >> it buzzes. reminds you you're alive! >> take the biscuit cutter and cut them out, or the dough, just squish this down in here. it's a fun little idea for kids. >> oh, that's good. you get them to do that. that's saving you some time. then you put that inside there -- >> and then into your food processor, you're going to put mushrooms and onions. >> i see that. put that in the food processor first and then put it inside the tart. >> then the walnut mushroom
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tart. then beef stock. want to put that in here? >> we're out of time. once we put that all together, we blend it in the blender for >> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am in december. let's check on the morning commute with sarah caldwell. >> dealing with a new accident. delays are starting to filter through the area of 95. delays from the split towards keith ave. accident off to the side. delays from white marsh down to just beyond the beltway northeast. northeast side, you are tapping the brakes. 11 m.p.h. from the outer loop lead towards the harrisburg expressway. southbound 795 backed up out of owings mills.
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southbound 97 at general ciba, dealing with an accident there. let's give you a live view of traffic. here is what it looks like at o'donnell. backed up getting towards peace. accident on the shoulder. live view of traffic on the west side. northwest corner is a heavy towards edmondson. tony has a check on your forecast. >> so far so good this morning. a little cold, and nothing else to talk about with a bang-wise. we started out in the upper teens and 20s. we will continue to warm up as we head into the afternoon. it will be warmer than yesterday. today most of you a sneak into the low 50s. mostly sunny skies. it should stay dry. chance for a few rainshowers on thursday.
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♪ 8:30 now on a tuesday morning. it's the 13th day of december 2011. you know it's a beautiful day here in new york city, not a cloud in the sky, a little chilly, 33 degrees, but that makes it holiday weather, and we've got the group pennetpenta collecting toys for the toy drive. they're winners of nbc's "the sing-off," a capella group. they're going to perform for us later on. >> they're very cute.
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they make nice elves. >> out on the plaza, i'm matt lauer along with ann curry, al roker and natalie morales. what else is coming up? well, also coming up this morning, we'll be talking about how to add a special touch to your gift-giving for the holiday. you know, is it too late to give things monogrammed? >> monogrammed. >> i don't know why that came out so funny. are you laughing at me? >> not at all. >> anyway, it's not too late to get a monogram. >> not laughing at you. >> we'll find out where you can order them. >> not to be confused with candygrams. and our good pal jane pauly is here. she'll be telling us about a man who took a long and painful road to find his life calling. all right, and then surviving the holidays without wrecking your diet. we're going to share some ideas from some tasty, low-calorie meals that your family is sure to enjoy. all right, every once in a while, you realize what a fun job this is. >> yes, just every once in a while. >> this is one of those times because i get to introduce christopher plummer, one of the
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stars of the highly anticipated movie, "the girl with the dragon tattoo." >> how are you? >> mr. plummer, what an honor. good to see you. >> i'm coming in, baby, because you know, you know. i've had a crush on christopher plummer for many, many years. >> we all have. >> lots of movies. >> you are sensational in this movie. the movie is quite a ride. the good news is, so many people love the book. the bad news is, so many people love the book that they are going to hold you to every detail. >> that's right. >> do you think it holds up? >> oh, yes. it's very faithful to the book, extremely faithful, except maybe at the end where she rides off into the future, because they're going to film the next two. by the way, this coat i wear as henry in the movie, i stole it. >> you stole the props from wardrobe. >> you need to be in roles to have nice coats. by the way, here's a warmer for you, in case you're cold, not that you need that. but you're also starring with daniel craig. don't eat it for goodness sake! and this new young woman named
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rooney morrow. >> she's extraordinary. it's a most courageous performance. >> someone who's been in as many films as you, what's it like to see someone breaking out at that stage of her career? >> oh, it's unbelievable. it's unearthly, it's so exciting, because she's very young. and because she's very young, the character is more spooky and more scary than ever. >> and speaking of young, you're celebrating your 82nd birthday today. happy birthday. >> yes. >> yay! happy birthday! >> oh, my god. >> we've got cupcakes, one for each one of us. >> oh. one, two, three -- >> happy birthday. >> but you're hotter than ever at this point. >> thank you. >> you're hotter than ever right now. >> al said you're hotter than ever. >> there's been oscar buzz? >> my mother said wait until you're 80 and it's going to all work out. >> what al is referring to is you're actually -- there's oscar buzz for another movie you're in called "the beginner." >> yes, it's a charming film.
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>> yeah? >> as opposed to this one. >> well, you are charming. we have loved you. and in this movie, you're fantastic. >> thank you. >> so, thank you. >> good to have you here. really nice to see you. >> thank you. >> "the girl with the dragon tattoo" is opening very soon. mr. roker. all righty, let's show you what's going on. that's whaon >> good morning. it will be warmer than yes slick in the afternoon. mostly sunny is our forecast. and that's your latest weather. well, guess what? it's now down to three on nbc's
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"the biggest loser." john, antone and ramone. it's anybody's guess who will be crowned winner during tonight's live season finale. host alison sweeney is out live in los angeles. alison, good morning. >> good morning, al! >> these guys are really closely matched. this could be anybody's game today. >> oh, absolutely. it's a really exciting finale, because all three guys are so close. they have both worked -- they have all worked so hard for it. but you know, ramone is really young and maybe that energy that youthful enthusiasm will push him over the edge. and john has wanted it from day one. i mean, he has literally wanted to win from the moment he set foot on campus. and antone's an athlete. he's a former nfl player, so, he's certainly got game, too. >> and antone, there's a 26-pound suppressent between antone and john. do you think he can close that gap? >> oh, i think if anyone can, antone can. he definitely knows what he's doing, he knows how to compete, he knows how to aim for the finish line. so, he's got it in him, you
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know? it's going to be a great show tonight, al. we have train performing. we have a lot of fun stuff, some good surprises, too. >> all righty. alison sweeney, thanks so much. don't forget, you can catch the live season finale of "the biggest loser" -- they're going to be looting the studio! taking things, ripping them off. "the biggest loser: battle of the ages," featuring a special performance by train, that's all tonight at 9:00/8:00 central right here on the network of looters, nbc! just take whatever you see! strip the whole place bare! >> no, no, don't do that. >> i'm just kidding. up next, we're going to have some personalized ideas for your holiday gift-giving list. but first, this is "today" on nbc. >> just steal them! >> more on the reality show.
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back now at 8:38, and this morning on "today's countdown to the holidays," personalized presents for everyone in your family. why give a generic gift when there is still time, we're told, to order something custom? liz is the publisher and editor in chief of coolmompicks.com. liz, good morning to you. >> good morning! >> i'm surprised to know there's still time. you're going to keep us honest as you go down the list as to what you have to order immediately. we have just a few days left. >> absolutely. the longer your wait, the more you'll pay in shipping, so get on it now. >> for women, jewelry, or girls, right? >> yes, coolmompicks loves supporting small designers. this is custom embroidered monogram necklaces. they're phenomenal and in the $30 range. >> and what is this, a notebook with your favorite photo? >> yeah, personalized notebooks. minted.com tends to be known for photo cards, but they have great gift ideas. these are lovely, just $16. >> and you get these online?
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>> yes, minted.com. >> minted.com. who doesn't need a yoga mat? hello, this time of year, we all need a little yoga. these are personalized, which is cool. >> oddly from a place called mycustomyogamat.com. they actually sell custom yoga mats. you can pick your color, embroidery, your name. great for a fitness buff. >> okay. and you can get this today? >> in the next couple days. i think probably thursday. on coolmompicks, we actually have all of the drop dates for everything. >> okay. >> but definitely in the next two days. >> all right. a little tote. >> everybody loves totes now that we're moving away from paper and plastic. co clava.com tells these. they fit right into your bag. >> i love these serving trays. they're wonderful. the lauers, for matt's family. >> and these are jonathan adler, and we love them. >> they're beautiful. >> you can get them personalized, but you have to order them today from thestationarystudio.com. they've dropped the price, i think starting around $71. >> beautiful, beautiful colors.
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now, this is interesting. is this for your birthday? >> well, actually, men, who are so hard to shop for, if you've got a sports buff in your life, redenvelope.com always a good source for personalized gifts. they've got these incredible "the new york times" history sports books, where you pick your favorite team and they'll put together 6,200 pages of top sports headlines for that team. >> that would be great for your son. >> also women love sports, too. >> and these are notebooks you could personalize? >> these are great for a writer or artist or an ocd person that takes a lot of notes. they're about 16 bucks. double that and you can get them personalized. >> do they make them small? >> yes, small and large. these are the books picasso used that hemingway used. there's a great history to them and men love them. >> i use them. anyway, let's move to this, even though i'm not hemingway or picasso. we have a minute left. let's see what we can get through. these are for young people. >> yes, m edge makes these great
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cases you can monogram or have them for the teams for the nooks and ereaders people will be getting this holiday. and then tons of great stuff for kids. freckle box, this is one of our favorites because everything is so inexpensive, less than 7 bucks and you can get your kid's name on every single page of a coloring book. >> that's a delight for kids when they see their name. >> they love it my daughter, e happy with this one. >> also, we've got place mats, which are fun. >> yes, at sarahabraham.com, they're $18. you can customize not only your kid's name, but how they look. >> and you can turn your children into super people. >> everybody loves to be a superhero. plainjane is a lovely site. you can get the whole kit and not only get the cape, but use it as a craft project on the holidays. >> so just a couple days. liz, thank you so much for your great ideas this morning. >> thank you. >> getting us ready for christmas. coming up next, jill martin sharing her newest batch of steals and deals. but first, this is "today" on nbc.
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♪ back at 8:44. for years, steve worked his ranks up in the music industry, teaming up with superstars like mary j. blige. now he uses his talents in advertising, and he's combined the two worlds for his new book called "the tanning of america: how hip-hop created a culture that changed the rules of the new economy." steve, good to see you. welcome back. so. i'll be honest with you, the book was put on my desk a couple weeks ago. it said "the tanning of america." i thought it,k÷j was a skin tan book. so explain it to me. >> the tanning of america is a simple concept. as times change, you have a generation of kids who have a blended mental complexion, where they are pulling information from the asian community, the hispanic community, the african-american community, the caucasian community, and this blend mental complexity. >> so, despite the fact that we
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have varying skin complexions, we're starting to think more and more alike, and you think music really helped to drive this phenomenon? >> yes. music -- actually, music played a very important role in the whole thing, because it was a way for people to express. the music videos were like tutorials. so, all the things you didn't understand about another culture you got a chance to understand through these videos. and now with social networking and everything, people are visiting each other's cultures on a daily basis. >> you say music taught you how to rock your pants, wear your hat, rock your car. music videos became tutorials on dances. it brought a lifestyle with it, one that allowed seemingly different groups to see things through a similar lens." >> yeah. how about that? >> and you think some seminole moments in the tanning of america, run dmc teaming up with aerosmith for "walk this way," and eminem, you give him a lot of credit. >> eminem did something very important, because he, unlike elvis, when he got the platform and became the most prolific, prominent artist in the world, he actually gave credit to where it came from.
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he actually paid homage to the source, and that was a very important thing, where elvis borrowed his art form and didn't necessarily pay homage. >> you talk about the music and the music videos, and you refer to them as a litmus test and a trojan horse. so, in other words, this music came in to suburban households, and once it got in there, it changed the cultures within those households? >> yeah, because the music videos got in. then all of a sudden, inside the music videos were pants, ebonics, how to dress, your lifestyle, entirely packaged within the music video form, and people didn't know how it got into the households. >> why was it different in my parents' day and my day, when i was listening to my parents' music, sinatra and tony bennett and nat king cole? didn't i want to emulate those people the same way kids today want to emulate the music stars they're listening to? >> the difference is the power media had at the time. nat king cole, i mean, they would do a christmas special one time a year and then you wouldn't necessarily get a chance to see them on a daily
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basis, how they dressed, how they spoke. >> now you have combined -- you've taken -- you saw this coming. >> yes. >> you got out of music somewhat and you went into advertising. how is corporate america reacting to this? how's it going over in boardrooms of major corporations? >> good question. when i first started in 2004 it was an uphill battle it was a lot of headwinds. i think since the census data came out in 2010, it's definitely made life a lot easier. just yesterday, i announced that i won bud light, i work for state farm, for mcdonald's, bing, for microsoft. these are all companies that have all changed their point of view based off of the census data and everything that's come out of it. >> i would think that it makes it easier for these corporations because they can target their message to a more general audience. they don't have to go to the fringes. >> no more boxes. no more african-american, hispanic. if you're under the age of 25, you see the world in a colorless way. you have shared values, so people are segmented through values but no longer through
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color. >> is this here to stay or is it a cycle? will we go away from the tanning of america in the next decade or so? >> no, we're going to be fully tan, matt. >> where your sunscreen when you're in the tanning booth. >> wear your sunscreen. >> steve stoute, good to have you here. >> thank you very much. >> pleasure. the book is called "the tanning of america." up next, jane pauley on one man who found his calling by turning his life
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♪ back now at 8:50 with more live calling today. "today" show contributor jane pauley is working with aarp, which has produced and sponsored our special series of reports, and this morning, jane has a story of a man offering hope to many who are experiencing these hard times. jane, good morning. >> thank you, ann. orlando ward is starting a big, new job. he's a man in his prime at 51. but it was a long road to reinvention. ♪ >> reporter: orlando ward is a familiar face on the streets of skid row in los angeles. >> i consider myself somebody that's in the hope business. how are y'all doing? >> reporter: he knows the business from both sides. he used to be one of the homeless. it wasn't supposed to be that
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way. >> not even a little bit. >> reporter: you were a star. a high school basketball star recruited by hundreds of colleges. he picked stanford. what the heck happened? >> i thought a lot about that over the years. i landed a job. i had some success. >> reporter: when did you actually fall off the rails? >> happy hour became happy couple of hours, happy night, happy couple of days. somewhere during that period, i crossed that invisible line. >> reporter: there were many years of drugs and denial and as many attempts at rehab, but ten times. >> i had been coached all my life. i know how to take coaching. but i didn't feel it and i didn't live it. >> reporter: finally, at the age of 38, he walked away. you just let go? >> i let go of everything. >> reporter: for two years, he was homeless.
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the people who loved you, did they finally cut you off? >> yes. i remember i called my mom one day, some story about needing money again. and it was, orlando, i don't know what you're doing. i didn't raise you that way, but i can't help. and she hung up. >> reporter: in the spring of '99, he began the slow walk back. >> i'm sitting in my little cardboard box, and i just started to talk to god. i am an addict, i am an alcoholic, i'm here on skid row and i'll probably die here. my fight was gone. i had given up. >> reporter: that's when he found his way to l.a.'s midnight mission. he got a job in the kitchen and started working his way toward recovery. >> i spent over a decade of my life with the midnight mission as a client, as an employee, as a supervisor, as a manager, as
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an executive. >> reporter: the highest ranking executive at the midnight mission ever to come off the street, vice president of operations. but everyone knows he started at the bottom. >> absolutely. i don't hide it. i have a responsibility to demonstrate to people that are where i was that there's no limits. there's none. put it right into that basket. >> okay. >> all right? shoot. that's what i'm talking about. >> reporter: did you ever get back to your mom? >> oh, man, in a big way. my dad had a mild stroke. i was the first person they called. they rely upon me to be their son, and it does more for me than it does for them.
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>> reporter: and today, he has a family of his own. >> you know, god's not done with me. there's more to do, and i'm up for it. i'm game. >> with 12 years of sobriety behind him, orlando is looking forward to a new appointment as director of community affairs at volunteers of america in l.a. the reality check. one of the keys to staying in recovery is that giving support is as therapeutic as getting it, which is why orlando has chosen to keep his work and talents in the community that saved him. and i hope you'll join me today at 12:00 eastern time for my live internet radio call-in show at aarp.org/jane. >> beautiful story, jane. >> thank you. >> it reminds us that god works in every one of us. thank you very much. coming up, we've got much more, including stocking stuffers with jill martin, after your local news.
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>> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. here's a look at one of our top stories. a man is in police custody after he robbed a pnc bank inside the towson university student union. he fled to the liberal arts building, where he was found sitting on a bench. police say the suspect never
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