good morning. contraception controversy. catholic leaders blast president obama over a decision to require church affiliated institutions to provide insurance coverage for birth control and they vow to make it an issue in this year's presidential race. disturbing details on what may have happened in josh powell's house before he set it on fire killing himself and his two young sons. what may have been his motive? and gisele bundchen under fire blaming tom brady's

teammates for the loss as the city of york gets ready for a parade today, tuesday, february city of york gets ready for a parade today, tuesday, february 7, 2012. captions paid for by nbc-universal television and welcome to "today" on this tuesday morning. i'm ann curry. >> i'm matt lauer. president obama is facing increased pressure this morning to reverse the controversial new health insurance policy that's drawing criticism from catholics. >> the backlash could threaten the president's support among a voting block that was critical in 2008. we'll tell you about the controversy this morning. voters in three states are casting ballots today in the gop presidential race. the latest on that ahead. and new developments on the tourette's-like symptoms in a town in upstate new york. a doctor who has treated one of

the girls says social media could be fuelling the outbreak. we'll hear from him. >> that's interesting. when you think of france you think wine, fashion and art. the author of a new book raising a family there wants you to add parenting to the list. why she believes the french have unlocked the secrets to raising better kids. we'll see about that. >> let us begin on tuesday morning with a check of the top stories of natalie at the news desk. good morning to you. >> good morning, everyone. we begin with disturbing details in the murder-suicide of josh powell and a his two sons. police say the husband of missing woman susan powell planned his son's deaths donating their toys and books over the last few days before preparing the house for the massive, deadly blaze. according to the medical examiner both boys suffered additional injuries to the head and neck and a hatchet was found in the house. much more coming up in a live

report. international pressure is mounting on bashar al asad to stop the bloody crack down in syria. ayman mohyeldin has the latest. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, natalie. in the face of that united nations veto by russia and china human rights organizations are saying that the asad regime carried out a license to kill. that's explaining the sharp increase in violence. mo mortars raining down on homs. in the street, recovering dead bodies has become too dangerous who says government snipers shoot to kill anyone who dares step out. no place is safe. not even this makeshift clinic where people seek refuge and where doctors struggle to treat the injured. it, too, was hit. >> all we want is help. we don't care if an army comes in. we don't care if -- bombards

syria. >> reporter: military help won't happen now says president obama, in an interview with matt. >> it's important to resolve this without recourse to outside military intervention. >> reporter: a u.n. security council resolution calling on a transition to a democratic government was vetoed by china and russia drawing international condemnation. in damascus crowds lined the streets to welcome solutions to ending the crisis. eyewitnesses report that syrian tanks and soldiers are moving to other cities, raising fears that similar attacks in other parts of the country could be imminent. in the wake of the diplomatic failure at the u.n. countries like turkey and other gulf arab states say they will try to solve the conflict in a peaceful way. natalie? >> ayman mohyeldin in cairo,

egypt. thanks so much. congress passed a bill aimed at pushing the country's aviation system into a new era. the bill will speed the switch from radar to gps-based air traffic control. the agreement provides stability to the f.a.a. granting long-term funding over the next four years. now to wall street. cnbc's mandy drury is at the new york stock exchange this morning. good morning. >> good morning. it's crunch time in greece to avoid a chaotic debt default which could hurt stocks here potentially. and the earnings continues and oil giant bp is making more money thanks to higher oil prices. it is also preparing for lawsuits related to the gulf of mexico oil spill. they will begin later this month. also, walmart is apparently going to label some great value brand products "great for you" in response to childhood obesity. >> in case you were wondering what the new york giants did on the flight home, take a look.

andre brown is leading a victory chant with teammates. >> i got a ring! he got one, too. >> all right! >> i got a ring! he got one, too. >> they've all got their super bowl rings. today they are also going to get the keys to the city of new york and a ticker tape parade. a lot of hardware for the giants. all proud. 7:06. back to matt, ann and al. lots of traffic today. >> downtown, no question. >> do you think the plane was doing this making its way to new york? >> let's get a check on the weather from mr. roker. >> a little turbulence. first of all, it's been really dry throughout much of central and southern california. almost three inches below normal for rain in l.a. they are getting a lot of rain today from san francisco to san diego. rainfall amounts half an inch to an inch of rain.

it's still much needed. in florida, heavier rain from key west to daytona beach. >> good morning. it will ba nice day today. things will change tomorrow. a mixture of sun and clouds. and that's your latest weather, matt? >> it's a busy day in the gop presidential race. contests today in colorado, minnesota and missouri. nbc's peter alexander is on the campaign trail in colorado. peter, good morning to you.

>> reporter: good morning to you. mitt romney hopes to continue his march uninterrupted today while rick santorum hopes for his biggest break out day since the iowa caucuses. there are three contests today and a senior romney adviser telling me overnight, do not be surprised if santorum pulls off a minnesota victory today. >> you don't get a better welcome than a colorado welcome. i'll tell you that. [ cheers and applause ] >> reporter: in front of a packed high school gym outside denver mitt romney ignored republican rivals. instead hammered away at president obama for this exchange with matt on "today." >> do you deserve a second term? >> i deserve a second term. we're not done. >> he said he deserves a second term. do you believe that? [ this president has failed and he needs to go and we need a new president. >> reporter: with growing buzz surrounding rick santorum's

presidential bid the romney campaign began going after the former pennsylvania senator who until now had largely escaped being the target of romney's attack machine. sending out e-mails including a statement from one of romney's top surrogates, tim pawlenty. rick santorum is a nice guy, pawlenty wrote, but he's not ready to be president. santorum fired back. >> any time anyone challenges governor romney, he attacks and tries to destroy. i don't think it will work this time. >> reporter: following today's votes in colorado, minnesota and missouri, the republican race moves to maine this weekend before heading to arizona, michigan and washington state, all leading up to super tuesday march 6th, exactly four weeks away. that's exactly where newt gingrich hopes to resurrect his struggling campaign. on monday, gingrich softened his critique of romney. >> he's not a bad person per se. but he's not a person who goes

in with force and will and fundamentally changes things. we need fundamental change. >> in a lighter note gingrich addressed his portrayal on "saturday night live." >> it's so ee's kwoe"saturday ." any politician who gets notice "saturday night live." this is an american institution. >> reporter: where the campaigns hold their party tonight shows their strategy. mitt romney will be in colorado. ron paul in minnesota. rick santorum in missouri. ann, newt gingrich will be campaigning in ohio where they don't vote until super tuesday. >> interesting, peter alexander. thank you so much. meantime the obama administration is facing a backlash from catholic leaders over birth control. nbc's andrea mitchell joins us with the story. good morning. >> good morning, ann. it's an issue that raises questions of church and state.

first amendment freedoms and government mandates. add to it partisan politics for a volatile mix that could spell trouble for the white house in the campaign. all across the country voices on both sides are getting louder. from the pulpit and on the internet, outraged catholic clergy have been preaching against the white house decision requiring catholic hospitals, charities and other institutions to include birth control in health insurance plans. >> never before has the federal government forced individuals and organizations to go into the marketplace and buy a product that violates their conscience. >> reporter: the administration says they should not be allowed to impose their faith on non-catholic employees. supporters say the constitution mandates separation of church and state. >> people are not being forced to adopt a new set of religious beliefs by this rule. they can practice their religion as they see fit.

they can choose not to use birth control. >> reporter: 28 states already require contraceptive services included in health benefits. >> we'll work with institutions with concerns here. it's important that we believe american women deserve access to that kind of insurance coverage regardless of where they work. >> reporter: in this volatile campaign republican candidates call it a war on religion. >> this is a decision so totally outrageous and such radical secular ideology i believe the hierarchy will oppose it every inch of the way. >> reporter: the romney campaign has an online petition against the new rule. >> we must have a president willing to preserve the right to worship god according to our own conscience. >> reporter: other republicans say it is a fundamental moral question. >> the decision is uncomprehensible and the president needs to back off of this issue or the courts are

going to do it for him. >> reporter: the new policy has touched a nerve with some liberal democrats like mark shields on pbs. >> the fallout is cataclysmic for the white house and for the president. it left them out to dry. just a policy that i think is, quite frankly, indefensible. >> reporter: surveys indicate most catholics believe they can be good members of the church without following the teaching on birth control the issue could persuade independent voters in swing states like michigan, ohio and pennsylvania, states the president needs to win. >> thank you so much. it is now 7:13. once again, here's matt. >> ann, thank you so much. rachel maddow is here from cnbc. back in 2008, 27% of the people who voted identified themselves as catholic. president obama won in that group 54-45%. has he miscalculated on the

issue? >> i don't think so. i don't read it that way. it's part of a larger issue on contraception. all of the republican candidates have taken far right perspectives on contraception. i think it's an extension of anti-abortion politics. not only do a vast majority of catholics use birth control but 80% of americans think health insurance should be required to cover it. >> when you hear people say president obama could suffer because of this in the election but with your logic if the majority of women in the country say they use birth control could this backfire on the republican canada cats making it an issue? >> this could mean hundreds of thousands if not millions of american women can't get health insurance coverage for contracepti contraception. mitt romney wants to eliminate all federal family planning. so women have to pay for birth control out of pocket under the republicans' plans now. all of the republican candidates including mitt romney supported legislation that could make birth control illegal.

this personhood stuff. >> is this an issue that will last into the campaign or be something to fizzle out? >> think it will fizzle out. if there is a bus driver opening and you're amish, nobody will say you can't apply. if you get the job and say, i can't drive this bus, i'm amish. people say, if it's a bus driving gig you have to drive. if it's health insurance it includes contraception. >> we have contests in colorado, minnesota and missouri. 60 or 70 delegates up for grabs. the surprising thing is with the polling in minnesota, rick santorum polling high. one poll has him two percentage points ahead of mitt romney. what does it do to the campaign if rick santorum wins in minnesota or finishes close? >> the minnesota republican electorate is similar to iowa. that explains pawlenty's strategy in the race. he thought he could win iowa because he was known in minnesota. it's a gut check for the romney

campaign. why this late in the day can he not get people on board? why are his favorables and unfavorables so upside down? people say the more they know the less they like him. >> the president said he doesn't believe the israelis made a decision whether they will strike the nuclear facilities inside iran, but if you listen to the interviews israeli officials have given lately it sounds as if they have made up their minds. is the obama administration and are the israelis on the same page on this subject? >> i think the entire world is on the same page in terms of the isolation of iran on the issue. nobody in the world -- they do not have an ally in the world who wants them to go this direction. >> but the method of dealing with it? >> i think it's wait and see. nobody is being honest in terms of the way they are talking about what's planned. off the record people tell you different things about what america is prepared to do and

what they believe israel plans to do. the world is against iran. they are isolated an everybody expects israel to take the lead. >> the super bowl ad that features clint eastwood's voice for chrysler and the comeback of detroit. chrysler says it was a car commercial. a lot of people say it was in effect a campaign ad for president obama and even prap as payback for the auto bailout. what do you make of it? >> why would chrysler pay back now? do they want another bailout? they're fine. that logic escapes me. i think this is a "yay, america" ad. they are talking about economic recovery and jobs coming back and detroit coming back is a partisan statement then we are in a weird universe. "yay, america" is a nonpartisan statement or it at least ought to be seen that way. >> rachel, thank you. >> thanks, matt. >> catch rachel 9:00 p.m. weekdays on msnbc. here's ann. >> the new york giants will be

celebrating the super bowl victory today with a ticker tape parade in new york city. this as supermodel giselle bundchen is taking heat for a post game remark aimed at some of her husband tom brady's teammates. savannah, good morning. >> as if tom brady didn't have enough reason to be disappointed now some folks are taking jabs at his wife for being a little too vocal. moments after losing super bowl xlvi to the new york giants. >> they put a lot of pressure on us. we came up a little bit short. >> reporter: a deeply disappointed tom brady was comforted by his supermodel wife. last week gisele called on friends and family to pray for her husband who she calls tommy. but the prayers weren't enough. as she exited the stadium another side of her was caught on tape by theinsider.com. a giants fan heckled the beauty

and she shot back. defending her husband while placing blame on his teammates saying she couldn't believe the receivers dropped the ball so many times. >> it's not what you would expect to happen with a high profile figure like brady, especially considering his wife is a supermodel and she knows what it's like to be in the public eye. you're supposed to be a support group, not someone shouting statements. >> reporter: the glamorous couple who have a son together began dating in 2006. some say she's transformed the nfl store from his high fashion wardrobe to his ever changing hair styles. brady is a regular fixture in fashion magazines. outside the fashion world brady's fans are concerned with the gridiron more than the flat iron and the boston sports world has been speculating about a gisele jinx for years. >> here's the thing for boston.

they care about only one thing -- winning. they know since gisele has been with brady he hasn't won a super bowl. >> reporter: speculation that began in 2008, the last time the patriots faced the giants and lost. gisele was in a sky box looking less than interested sipping red wine, not beer -- a no-no among sports fans. the boston herald called it the curse of the baby-no. >> you deal with a problem in the locker room, with your coach, with your teammates. there is a code among players and teams. you keep it in house. >> reporter: a code that now has to be extended to supermodels. well, we reached out to gisele bundchen but she had no further comment on her remark. >> she told you to bleep off. >> she was defending her man. >> no, you know what? the only thing the hecklers want to do is get under someone's skin. the one thing you can't allow

them to do is let them under your skin. >> and throw other players under the bus. >> especially the team bus. >> we have more coming up. first, this is "today" on nbc.

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just ahead, disturbing details on what police say happened in josh powell's home moments before he lit it on fire killing himself and his two young sons. >> we'll talk to the little boys' grandparents after your local news. spent their whole careers here. [ charlie ] we're the heartbeat of this place, the people on the line. we take pride in what we do. when that refrigerator ships out the door, it's us that work out here. [ michael ] we're on the forefront of revitalizing manufacturing. we're proving that it can be done here, and it can be done well. [ ilona ] i come to ge after the plant i was working at closed after 33 years. ge's giving me the chance to start back over. [ cindy ] there's construction workers everywhere. so what does that mean?

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>> this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am stan stovall. officials are planning to launch an on-line crime reporting website. the idea is to cut down on frustration for citizens while allowing police officers to offer more efficiency. the website will be rolled out

in the spring. let's check on the morning commute with sarah caldwell. >> we have accident we are tracking on the harrisburg expressway. it is off to the side and delays are dissipating on southbound 83 just prior to york road. looking at delays with 29 miles per hour, tapping the brakes from harford towards the harrisburg expressway. outer loop west side, 22 miles per hour. southbound 97 at general highway, watch for a disabled vehicle. no delays as of right now. let's give you eight quick live look at traffic. southbound traffic is slow all the way towards the beltway. going away from us, tracking delays with the harrisburg expressway.

>> so far so good this morning. until we get into tomorrow, it will be smooth sailing. 33 degrees in parkton. we will call it mostly sunny. late in the afternoon or evening, there could be clouds from the north. high temperatures in the upper 40's, 50's. that will change tomorrow. dropping into the 30's for eyes and a mixture of snow and rain during the day, probably starting late and in the morning and early afternoon. morning commute should be fine.

7:30 now on a tuesday morning, february 7th, 2012. it is a beautiful start to the day here in new york city. hoping it is where you are as well as we look from the top of the rock south at the empire state building, one world trade center in the distance there. looking at the southern end of manhattan island where there will be a big parade for the world champion new york giant this is morning. and down on the plaza this morning, we have a great group of people. some of them may be headed to the parade later on today. we'll go outside and say hi to them in a little while. meantime inside studio 1a i'm matt lauer alongside ann curry.

ahead, mysterious ticks in a town. >> we'll have the results of testing and tell you why one doctor believes social media websites could be adding to the problem. >> a lot of talk in the last year about the tiger mom and her tough love style of parenting. how about the french style of parenting? they are known for fashion and food but the author of a new book says they also have this whole parenting thing figured out from getting babies to sleep through the night to getting toddlers to eat their vegetables. coming up, she makes a case for parenting, the french way. >> we begin with troubling new details in the double murder-suicide of josh powell and his two young sons. we should warn you these details are disturbing. we will talk to susan powell's parents in a moment, but first nbc's miguel almaguer joins us from washington with the latest on the story. miguel, good morning. >> reporter: ann, good morning. police are working to retrace

josh powell's steps in the days leading up to the fire. they say when a social worker brought his kids here he certainly had a plan -- to kill his children. the house went up in flames moments after powell's two young sons arrived with a social worker for their scheduled visit. a neighbor captured the aftermath in this home video. >> oh, my god. >> reporter: firefighters put out the blaze but had no chance to save 7-year-old charlie and 5-year-old braden, the powells' young boys. >> we believe this was intentionally planned. it looks like there was accelerants used. >> reporter: police say powell opened the front door, let the boys inside and blocked the social worker from entering, slamming the door in her face. she called the supervisor, said she smelled gas in the home. moments later an intense, fast-burning fire raged. >> it was definitely a gas boom. >> reporter: neighbors didn't know josh powell was living here. >> why couldn't he just do that

to himself, you know? why would he have to take those babies with him? >> reporter: in september powell lost custody of his sons a month after arrest of his father steven on charges of voyeurism and child pornography. in steven's home they also found illicit pictures of susan cox powell, photos taken years earlier without her knowledge. >> i am a fit and qualified father. i have had nothing to do with any kind of illegal pornography. >> reporter: despite powell's emotional appeal to a judge the boys were placed in the care of his missing wife's parents -- chuck and judy cox. too distraught to be interviewed sunday in a statement they said words cannot adequately express the grief. first susan and now charlie and braden. josh powell always denied any involvement in his wife's disappearance. utah police called him a person of interest but never charged

him with a crime. susan cox powell vanished in december 2009, the same night josh told police he took his boys on a late night camping trip in freezing temperatures. her body has never been found. >> i could never hurt susan or my sons. >> reporter: according to police, powell did exactly that, killing his children -- two innocent boys whose short lives had already been filled with incredible loss. >> this was something evil. this was not a tragedy. this was a horrible murder of two little kids. >> reporter: and police say this murder-suicide was certainly well planned out. they say they found a hatchet on the scene, that it appeared josh powell injured his boys first before they ultimately died of smoke inhalation. they say they found ten gallons of gasoline in the home used to fuel the fire and powell sent out several e-mails, not only to family members but to a pastor

to take care of some loose ends he apparently had left behind. ann? >> miguel almaguer, thank you. susan powell's parents, chuck and judy cox, now joining frus seattle. good morning to you both. we are so, so sorry about this news. >> good morning. >> good morning. >> i want to first give you a chance to say whatever you wish about your grandsons, charlie and braden. what can you tell us about them? >> it was great to have them with us. they were becoming more and more happy and more just loving children. we're missing them. >> i understand they were becoming more playful and they were becoming more talkative. what were they revealing about the night that your daughter, susan, their mother, disappeared. judy? >> they basically kept saying how they went on a vacation in

the desert camping and mommy and daddy, they stopped at some place and mommy and daddy left and then only daddy came back. >> there was some discussion about mommy being in the trunk of the car. is that right? >> yes. >> that was based on a picture drawn by braden at preschool. he drew a picture of the minivan. the day care providers asked him who the people were. he said that was his daddy, charlie and himself and that mommy was in the trunk. >> you had feared, chuck, that josh could hurt the boys. did you fear more for them and their safety when these details started to emerge and also after josh lost custody? >> we felt that they were safe

as long as they were with us, but we were concerned about the visitation. i was concerned about how this first visitation would go, especially after he had lost custody for six months. >> you were also concerned there was just one supervisor. is that right? >> oh, absolutely. we knew if he was cornered and felt like there was no way out that he was capable of this. we had made that known to the police, all of law enforcement involved in social health services and things. they were aware of our concerns. i don't know. that's the way it went was that one person was all they had. he had several visitations before with no problems. so i can understand why they would think they were okay. but we knew what he was capable of. >> not much time has passed.

i want to ask you, judy, do you think the lives of your grandchildren were taken because of this custody issue or because josh may have felt they were revealing too much about what happened to your daughter? >> i think both. he was feeling cornered. it was basically -- he didn't like us and he just wanted to get the kids away from us so much. it really bothered him that the boys were showing such affection to chuck and there are pictures of that. but i think it was both. >> given what you have been feeling and your warning to authorities about josh, do you think they should have, could have done something more to protect these young boys? >> i don't think the visitation

should take place in their home, but i understand they have a lot of people and they deal with a lot of people that exaggerate the threat or cry wolf of, if you will. when we get lumped into the mass of people they have to deal with. but this was such an extraordinary circumstance that we felt they should have taken more care. >> that morning when the social worker came to pick up the boys, judy, how did the boys seem to you? did they want to go? >> no. they didn't want to go. they were having fun playing with their cousin patrick who is 2 years old. they didn't want to go see their dad. i was kind of surprised because sometimes they really looked forward to it. keep asking what day it is. but it was definitely, "i don't want to go" and i know because of the laws they had to go.

and i really didn't want them -- the way -- you know -- didn't want to go. >> and so that must be difficult to know they had to go when they didn't want to go, judy. >> yeah. i just feel a part of me and i wish i could have argued, but i knew. >> just makes you wonder should you have told them, okay, you don't have to go. it would have been different obviously. >> what's remarkable listening to the two of you and you have been remarkable every time we have talked to you is how strong you have been. how really strong and generous you have been. what has given you peace? what has allowed you to be strong through all of this. >> our faith. >> we know where our daughter is. we know that she's not here on

this earth and that she's safe. we know that the boys are now back with their mother and that gives us a lot of strength -- our faith does. >> well, i know everyone listening sends you their deepest condolences. chuck and judy cox, thank you so much for speaking to us. >> thank you, ann. >> okay. a programming note that "dateline nbc" will have more on this tragic story friday night at 10:00/9:00 central time here on nbc. now a check of the weather from al. >> announcer: today's weather is brought to you by kay jewelers. every kiss begins with kay. >> as we get started on our weather, we'll take a look at what's going to be going on today around temperatures. we are looking at teens and 20s in new england. teens and 20s as you get into the plains. only warm spot down in southern florida. they will be looking at rain. temperatures in the 80s today.

we have showers and thunderstorms. clouds in the pacific northwest. plenty of sunshine making its way through the plains into the great lakes. light snow moves across the southern great lakes including chicago. >> good morning. it will be a nice day today. we will make it into the upper 40's and low 50's. for your weather 24/7 check out the weather channel on cable or weather.com online. ann? >> all right, al. thank you. coming up next, why one doctor says social media sites like youtube could be spreading that

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back now at 7:45 with the latest on a strange condition affecting people in an upstate new york town. there is an interesting new theory on why the cases could be spreading. amy robach has details on that. good morning. >> as we have been reporting more than a dozen girls at leroy high school say they have verbal ticks and outbursts. one expert says the condition could be fuelled by social media like facebook and youtube. this as angry parents confront school administrators demanding more information. >> no, no. i'm done listening to you. you guys need to do something. [ applause ] >> reporter: hundreds of parents showed up to a community meeting over the high school. they want to know what school administrators are doing to make sure students are safe.

>> it is not safe. why is this? you need to prove to us that it is safe to put our children in this school. you are not doing your job. you are not doing your job at all. [ applause ] >> reporter: since last october, more than a dozen young women from the school say they have developed an illness similar to tourette's syndrome. nbc news talked to several teens, some with symptoms so severe they had to pull out of school. >> i was always so -- i was always so active and everybody was always happy to be around me. i don't feel like myself anymore. >> i feel like people look at me and judge me. >> reporter: some doctors who examined the students say they have a psychiatric condition known as conversion disorder, formerly known as mass hysteria. >> i started this twitching. >> reporter: now other teens are posting videos of themselves on facebook, youtube and other websites claiming they have symptoms. a doctor who has examined a one

of the girls in leroy believes social media could be an influence. >> if you are a person who is vulnerable in some way because of your own stresses and anxieties, i think there is a potential for that to create further potential spread beyond the area that was initially involved. >> reporter: as the leroy teens continue to get treatment the school district insists there is no health risk to other students. saturday administrators showed parents a new report by the new york state health department which found no infectious or environmental cause of the illness. >> we did water testing. we did air testing. you just heard the report that those reports were negative. >> reporter: now the school has hired an outside company to review all the previous testing. also pending, results of another investigation, this one by a team of environmental activists headed up by erin brockovich.

investigators who work with her are studying soil samples to see if the illness could be related to a train derailment and chemical spill near the school more than 40 years ago. the environmental protection agency insists the accident is not related. back at the school, parents just aren't satisfied. >> this is going to take years. we want to know now what's going on. >> the school district wants to assure parents that students are safe. they have posted a statement on the website saying, quote, the health, safety and well-being of all students is the number one priority. matt? >> all right, thank you very much. 7:49 now. still ahead, we're going to catch up with ryan reynolds and talk about his new thriller called "safehouse" costarring denzel washington. first, these messages. a! isn't major medical enough? huh! no! who's gonna help cover the holes in their plans? aflac! quack! like medical bills they don't pay for?

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>> this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. time for a check on the morning commute. here is sarah caldwell and traffic pulse 11. >> tracking a new accident involving an overturned vehicle. manor road, use extra caution there as police are trying to clear it. delays around de area. 16 miles per hour on the southbound j.f.x. average speeds around 11 miles per hour on the outer loop. inner loop at hollins ferry road, watch for disabled

vehicle delays there. general's highway, north and southbound delays in place. live view of traffic. we will start with the westbound 50 delay leading up to the ramp to no. 97. we will switch over to a live view of traffic in the area of 140. very heavy in both directions. that is the latest on traffic pulse 11. >> a lot of sunshine out their bank to start the day. it is going to change as we start the afternoon. we will have a lot of sunshine to kick things off. 35 in randallstown. 36 in frederick. mostly sunny skies, or a mixture of sunshine and a few clouds. high temperatures between 48 and 53. sunset this evening at 5:33. things would change tomorrow. by the time we get into the late

morning and afternoon, a mixture of snow and rain developing. minor snow accumulation, especially north and west of baltimore. even on the evening commute tomorrow, the roads should be ok. we could do it

8:00 now on a tuesday morning, the 7th day of february 2012. a lot of nice people outside with us. by the way, it is just one week until valentine's day! so a lot of us have to get our shopping started for our sweethearts after we visit here in rockefeller plaza. i'm ann curry along with al roker and matt lauer. we always talk about ways to raise our kids. this morning we'll look at a new way a lot of us haven't thought about proposed in a book by an american woman living in france who's discovered that french children don't misbehave.

they sleep through the night after two months and, p.s., they eat things like camembert. how does that happen? >> so there are no french children who misbehave? >> nope. >> i think not. >> in the entire country? >> i think there are probably bad moment bus the argument is they are more likely in a restaurant not to flip out like our kids do. >> like pepe le peu. >> and ryan reynolds is starring in a brand new action thriller opposite denzel washington. this one is called "safehouse." it will get your blood moving from the opening sequence. we'll talk to ryan about it in a couple of minutes. >> that had to hurt. >> yes. another note, are you worried about your teen's college education, how to pay for it? we have a list of some of the top value colleges out there for you. >> good. all right. before we get to that let's get a chec of the top stories from

natalie at the news desk. >> good morning, everyone. republican presidential candidate rick santorum hopes for a boost today from contests in colorado, minnesota, and missouri. santorum has portrayed himself as the conservative choice in those states. mitt romney has been stressing his own conservative social values. in a radio interview he supported the susan g. komen's decision to strip funding from planned parenthood. the decision was reversed. more than 40 states signed on to a national settlement over foreclosure abuses. officials say two of the biggest holdouts, new york and california, moved closer monday to backing the deal. the settlement would force the nation's five largest mortgage lenders to reduce loans for about one million households. the los angeles schools are replacing the entire staff at a school where two teachers were arrested last week for allegedly committing lewd acts with students. the move is designed to reassure

outraged parents. many have kept their children home since the scandal broke. the obama administration is facing backlash over the requirement that catholic hospitals, schools and charities provide birth control coverage in health insurance plans. the administration says the church should not be allowed to impose beliefs on non-catholic employees, but critics, including new york archbishop timothy dolan, says they are forcing churches and hospitals to violate teachings against birth control. a horrifying accident in michigan wasn't as bad as it turns out. you see a motorcycle rider hit a guide wire and plunged 25 feet to the ground. he suffered a broken leg, arm and shoulder but plans to resume the career declaring it's all i do. now for a look at what's trending today, a quick round-up of what has you talking online. randy travis is a top search after his drunk driving arrest

monday near a north texas church. his hits include "forever and ever amen" apologized for overdoing it after the super bowl. and a story we brought you earlier has the internet in a frenzy. supermodel gisele bundchen caught on tape blaming tom brady's teammates for the super bowl loss. my husband cannot [ bleep ] throw the ball and catch the ball at the same time. >> and fans are googling katharine mcphee and other stars of "smash" which premiered last night on nbc. it follows the behind-the-scenes creation of a broadway show about marilyn monroe. it's now 8:04. now back outside to al with a check of the weather. >> thank you, natalie. we have a birthday girl here. what's your name? >> julia. >> how old are you today? >> 11. >> all right. >> she's very excited! >> where are you from?

>> long island. >> all the way from long island. the trip took it out of you. happy birthday. let's see what's happening for your day. our pick city is here in new york. 11:00 a.m. we have the super bowl parade. 45 with winds northwest at 12. the ticker tape will be bloug around with breezy winds. 2:00, sunny and 49 degrees. we have a big system coming to california bringing rain there. rain in southern florida. we have a clipper bringing snow across the southern great lakes. light snow for chicago. heavier snow in the central plains. nothing that horrible. >> good morning. it will be a nice day today. things will change tomorrow. a mixture of sun and clouds.

that's your latest weather. now back to matt lauer with a birthday girl. >> happy birthday right here. when we come back, do the french have the answer to raising happier, healthier kids? we'll talk about it after these messages. we wanted to come as much as they did. (girl) it's really hogwarts! because i can fly with harry! because i love seeing him like this! (screaming) ahhhhh! (narrator) from unforgettable adventures to the wizarding world of harry potter, only at universal orlando resort. are made with sweet cherries and the crisp, clean taste of our cranberries. i cannot tell a lie. 'tis tasty.

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>> announcer: today's moms is brought to you by crest 3d white. >> back now at 8:09. this morning on today's moms, parenting the french way. can't get your kids to eat vegetables or go to sleep on time or behave in a restaurant? maybe it's time to take a family trip to paris. nbc's stephanie gosk explains. >> reporter: high fashion, great food, award winning wines. what we have grown to expect from france. but american pamela drukerman who lives there with her husband and children believes she may have stumbled upon a new export -- good parenting. french children, she says, are for the most part very well

behaved. patient, polite, good eaters. i restaurant as she struggled with an unruly toddler. >> i realized the french parents were having a very different experience from us. >> it's the whole idea of parenting. you have a firm frame. certain rules are fixed and firm. but inside the frame you have total freedom. >> reporter: it's a theory she's tested on her own children including leyla, the once unruly toddler. >> how do i say i want a piece of cake? >> reporter: leyla translates into french but what she says is "can i please have a piece of cake." turns out i'm rude. at the lunch table we are impressed again. the kids are eating their broccoli. actually, it seems almost loving their broccoli. >> you have to get kids to taste food many times. >> reporter: sit them down,

force them to eat the broccoli? >> no. no, no. that's not sustainable. that's very unpleasant for everyone. the idea is to get the child to gradually appreciate all different foods. >> reporter: and it seems to work. look what they did to this cheese. >> camembert! >> reporter: but they are still normal kids. do you prefer cheese or cake? >> cake! >> reporter: cake, hey? i'm in your camp. that is part of the secret. the rules aren't supposed to steal childhood. they are just supposed to make the growing-up process easier for parents and children alike. we found the theory echoed in the benoit family household. >> sometimes i don't really like to eat carrots, but the rest i eat. >> i want them to become balanced adults. you know, behave normally in

society. >> reporter: it's a goal most parents, no matter what country they are from, probably share. drukerman believes the french have figured out how to achieve it. stephanie gosk, nbc news, paris. >> pamela joins us. she's the author of "bringing up bebe." she's also the mother of three children as we saw in the piece. good morning. >> reporter: -- >> good morning. >> you talk about the frame. in america we teach kids the magic words of please and thank you. you say in france there are four magic words. please, thank you, hello and good-bye. >> yes. hello, in particular. bonjour is -- french parents are religious about making their kids greet adults partly to be adult. partly french parents told me to rescue children from their own natural selfishness, to realize other people are in the world with needs as well.

>> and good-bye is also about good manners. in terms of establishing the frame you write, i'm now convinced the secret to why french kids rarely whine or collapse into tantrums or do so less than american kids is that they develop the internal resources to cope with frustration. they don't expect to get what they want instantly. how did that happen? >> it's a long apprenticeship. parents don't think they are landed with a kid who's patient or not. they see it as a skill you teach your children all the time. with interrupting for example. i assume my kids interrupt me. a french mother would say sweetly, i'm speaking to someone now. i will be with you in a minute. it's said in a loving way and sometimes the kids keep talking but it's a long-term process. >> this is something that happens moment to moment. i told my kids -- i started quoting mick jagger, you can't

always get what you want but it didn't work. you say every moment when there is bad behavior there is a calm, wait, calm down, it's going to be okay. i will get to you answer. >> yes. it's a balance between being very strict about key things and also giving kids freedom, respect and trusting them. for example, at bedtime, lots of french parents tell their kids, you must stay in your room. inside your room you can do whatever you want. my kids don't focus on the restriction. they focus on the freedom. they know what the rules are. the french parents let a lot of other things go. >> that's interesting. the next point when it comes to sleeping. i may take issue with you. i don't believe it. you say in france babies learn to sleep through the night from 2 months on. come on! >> i didn't believe it. i kept meeting more and more of them. that's the norm in france. >> how do they do that? >> i think it's a basic

difference in the way they think about babies. the french think they are small, vulnerable and need our love but they also think they are rational and can learn. they think parents can teach a baby how to sleep at night. they don't let little babies cry it out in the american way we talk about. even very young babies cry at night they wait a little bit. they watch and wait. they wait to see if the baby can learn to connect the sleep cycles or if he's just making noise while sleeping. they pick him up, they are loving and warm but they give the baby a chance to learn. >> that's their motivation, clearly. that changes how the baby is responding. there is far more in the book than we can get to. this is illuminating. pamela, thank you so much this morning. again, the book is "bringing up bebe." for an excerpt go to today.com.

up next, we have ryan reynolds in the house. we'll catch up with him. ♪ bad to the bone >> hey, listen to that music, ryan. pretty good. but my smile wasn't. [ female announcer ] new crest 3d white intensive professional effects whitestrips. it goes below the enamel surface to whiten as well as a five-hundred dollar professional treatment for a transformation that's hard to believe. ♪ wow, that's you? [ female announcer ] new intensive professional effects whitestrips. and try 3d white toothpaste and rinse. from crest. life opens up when you do.

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[ male announcer ] stay seamlessly connected to your smart phone. available on the reinvented 2012 camry. from toyota. ♪ we are back with the star of the new action thriller "safehouse" ryan reynolds plays a cia case worker in south africa. a sleepy post until a rogue agent played by denzel washington shows up and tries to mess with his mind. take a look. >> does she know what you do for a living -- the girl on the phone? it was a girl, wasn't it? maybe it was a guy. i don't know. i don't judge. you can't expect to have a real relationship in our line of work, matthew. >> they said they would kill me to get to you. >> after a while even the truth sounds like a lie. >> you have something they want. what is it? >> who is it? >> don't worry about her.

>> oh, it is a her. >> ryan reynolds, welcome back. >> thank uh you. >> this is the second time you have done this to me. you were here for "the change up." i thought it was a baseball movie so i took my kids. >> terrific. >> this one "safehouse" sounds safe for kids, too, right? >> no, no. this is smoking ocular cavities. >> this is a thrill ride. from the moment it starts it takes you on a wild cat and mouse game ride. >> it's intense. i never like it when i see movies i'm in but now i know where it came from "the edge of your seat." it was unbelievable. >> you play this case worker for the cia. but he's seeing no action whatsoever. >> zero. >> he's bouncing tennis balls against the wall. here comes denzel washington. why does he create such havoc? >> i play a cia house keeper that works in a safehouse.

they are operated all over the world and are used for visiting agents or interrogations. denzel is brought in for interinvestigatiinte interrogation. the people who brought him there are killed and i'm left alone with him. >> what works well in the movie is that you're both so perfect for the roles. he's so intense. with e know it from his previous movies. you bring to it a sense of innocence which is perfect for the character at this stage in his career. >> he's in over his head in every way, shape and form. he's never seen anything like this. >> what's it like to act opposite the intensity of denzel washington? >> it gives you sunburn. it's like being in acting school. it's incredible to work with somebody like that. he's a legend. one of the best living, working actors we have today. just to be around it is a learning experience. i loved working with him. >> there is a lot of physicality

to the role. you are now the only guy ever to give denzel a black eye during filming. it was an accident? >> it's like prison. you have to hit the biggest guy on the first day as hard as you can. make a statement for the crew. let them know i mean business. we were shooting a car chase scene and cape town figures heavily because it's where the movie is set. they let you get away with more than stunts. the car chases, one is unbelievable in particular. they're showing it now. we're going 80 miles per hour on a side street. somehow -- >> this isn't on a back lot. you're driving a car. >> really driving a car. somehow denzel's head came in contact with mine. i looked back and there he was with a golf ball-sized egg on his face. >> how did he take it? >> i thought he was going to

turn me into a liquid. should i pack my bags? >> he seems like he'd break your jaw later in the film and say, oops, that was an accident, too. >> he took it all right. he gave me a look like, you can't believe you just gave denzel washington a black eye. that was about the look i had. >> sexiest man alive, 2010, 2011 and you missed the threepeat by this much. >> i'm hitting brown university next week. >> little more intellectual stuff. >> you retire the sash and talk about your experiences. an evening with ryan. >> you have a sash? >> of course. >> this one is wild. ryan reynolds, good to have you here. >> it's from our sister company universal pictures and it opens on friday. ke denzel will be here tomorrow morning. mr. washington. now here's ann.

>> matt, now to a true dare devil. felix baumgarte ner is the first person to cross the english channel on a carbon wing and base jump from the hand of the christ the redeemer statue in rio de janeiro. he's here to talk about his next daring free fall. >> good morning. >> you want to break the record for the free fall from the highest altitude, be the first person to break the speed of sound record and have the longest free fall all at once. how do you plan to do that? >> we have been working on this almost five years ago. it's an ongoing project. we have been testing a lot. we have been developing a lot. we have one of the best, top of the field working for us. and the guy who did sky dives in the '60s from 2,000 feet. he's a hell of a character and i'm honored to work with him. >> you're trying to jump, as i

understand it, from the edge of space. you have a very special suit that you have to wear. why do you have to wear the suit? how does it protect you in. >> you need the pressure suit because if you go above 65,000 feet your blood will start boiling. that's to provide you with oxygen, protect you from the cold temperatures. we are facing minus 7 degrees fahrenheit so we need that suit. >> why do you want to do this, felix? this sounds incredibly dangerous. >> well, i like the challenge. i like to work on projects where i have to start by scratch. i like to explore things. we also contribute data for future space exploration to make them safer. >> i hope in addition you have fun doing it. >> well, it's not so much fun while you're doing it because you're going up 220,000 feet which is a hostile environment. your blood will start boiling if

your suit fails. >> we'll be right back. thank you so much. >> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. let's get a check on the morning commute with sarah caldwell. >> still dealing with accidents around big area. outer loop past 795, down to 11 miles per hour. watch for the accident. another one in owings mills. if you are going to travel south on the j.f.x., up from the beltway, those delays continue all the way down to 28th street. harford road at the beltway, an accident report.

vehicle fire at philadelphia road and rossville boulevard. if you are traveling in baldwin, a crash. another one to watch for at 97 and 53 delays in both directions at 97 and westbound 50. let's give you a live view of traffic. we will update you on the delays westbound 50 coming towards us. that is the pace of things and towards the ramp to 97. northwest corner, going away from us, outer loop traffic. a very heavy there. that is the latest on traffic pulse 11. tony has a check on your forecast. >> beautiful start this tuesday morning. lots of sunshine. temperatures are not all that bad. it-thirties in most locales. 35 in parkton. 34 degrees in jarrettsville. mostly sunny skies. late in the afternoon, there could be a few clouds drifting in. high temperatures in the upper

40's and low 50s. tomorrow, a mixture of rain and snow in the morning to the afternoon. minor cumulation possible north and west of baltimore. >> we will have another update at 8:55.

we're back now. 8:30 on a tuesday morning, february 7, 2012. it's a pretty morning in the northeast with a lot of birthdays to celebrate on the plaza. we thank them for stopping by, spending time with us. i'm matt lauer along with ann curry, natalie morales and al roker. in studio now is one of the hottest acts in country music.

dierks bentley will be putting on a show for us inside in a little while. >> that's right. also coming up this morning we'll be talking about what we can do if you're one of those people who basically worries about being able to pay for college tuition for your kids. we have advice for you because this morning we'll be revealing princeton review's new list of the best value schools in the country. >> and to help you save some money we have michael la monico up in the kitchen. you think chicken parts is parts. michael says, no, think about the whole chicken if you want to save money and make a tasty meal. >> are you tired all the time? it may have to do with more than lack of sleep. coming up, how it could be a sign of a more serious medical condition. we'll talk about that with some experts. >> mr. roker, how about a check of the weather? >> you don't have a coat on. >> it's nice out. >> going to get even better in the northeast.

temperatures in the low 50s. showers along the mid-atlantic states. snow in the central plains into the upper midwest. heavy rain southern california into the california/oregon border with freezing fog in interior sections there. rain in the pacific northwest. light snow comes across the midatlantic just clipping the northeast. look for sunshine but chilly conditions, plains back down into texas. >> good morning. it will be a nice day today. we will make it into the upper 40's and low 50's. don't forget. you can get your weather any time day or night on the weather channel on table or weather.com

online. get your weather any time, day or night on weather channel on cable or weather.com online. my producer said we could do it twice because we had so much time. >> coming up, best values in colleges in the u.s. first, this is "today" on nbc. colleges in the u.s. first, this is "today" on nbc. or -- this is "today" on nbc. i'm drinkin' dunkin'. definitely dunkin'. you know, i need to get that jolt in the morning, but i want something good to do that. you can't mistake the flavor. i run on dunkin'. tell us what you're drinkin' for a chance to be famous. america runs on dunkin' coffee.

back now at 8:35. this morning on education nation today, choosing the best college for the right price. financial aid season kicks off this week, just in time the princeton review is out with the analyst of the top 150 colleges that offer the best value. rob franik is the senior vice president of princeton review and the author of "the best value colleges." welcome back. >> thank you very much for having me. >> let's start with the bad news. we'll talk about prices of public colleges which have gone up 6% from last year.

private colleges have gone up 4% in one year. with these prices going up what's happening now? what's the response in terms of financial aid and scholarships? >> there is a huge response. we have been surveying students and parents and 86% of them said financial aid was going to be very or extremely necessary for them to afford school. $170 billion out there for aid but we tried to do the homework for students at princetonreview.com for the list this year. >> let's talk about the list. what value we can get from the schools. you break them apart between public and private. let's look at public schools. number three on the list is a new college in florida in sarasota. >> it's a wonderful school. small school with 800 students but it is the official honors college for the state of florida system. it's a value but a great financial aid value as well. $14,000 in state tuition.

$10,000 average gift aid. you don't have to pay it back. >> forgive me. $14,000 minus $10,000 or you still pay the $14,000. >> $14,000 is the sticker price, so it comes down to $4,000. >> in charlesville, virginia. >> 14,000 students, a power house academically. when we think of the average sticker price, $16,700 for the average kid. bringing it down to $3,800 to attend. >> you're saying the quality of education is high at the schools. >> absolutely. that's what we focus on at princeton review. usa today focusing on the academic value and financial aid as well. >> you look at the experience level of the teachers? >> we look at the average freshman profile.

s.a.t., a.c.t. scores, gpa, graduating in the top 10 or 20% of the class and do they value the experience? are their professors good teachers. >> and number one, university of north carolina chapel hill. >> a usual suspect on the list. 18,000 students. it's hard to get into. once you are in whether in state or out of state you don't have to take out dollar one in loans. >> now private schools. number three is princeton university. hard to get into. why is it a good value? >> princeton is a pioneer in financial aid. they were the first u.s. school to say don't take out loans to pay for college. they were there with the financial wherewithal to do it. $49,000 sticker price, average aid $35,000 bringing it to a reasonable number for the average family. >> which may be another reason why only 9% of applicants get accepted there. number two on the list,

swathmore college in pennsylvania. also expensive. >> it is expensive. when we think of the average scientificer price and the average grant around $35,000 bringing it down to most public colleges and it's number one in the best value colleges, best financial aid list as a usual suspect. >> and number one on the list of private colleges that are great for the dollar is williams college in williamstown, massachusetts. why? >> fabulous school academically. it's only 2,000 students but $2 billion in overall college endowments. we think about the hefty sticker price of $54,000. average aid is almost $41,000 per student. fabulous school and a great financial aid value as well. >> before we go the financial aid forms are due soon. what's your best tip for filling wut own to get financial aid? >> absolutely.

it's the free application for federal student aid. when arnie duncan looked at it he said you need ph.d. to fill it out. take your time. you cannot crime for the fafta form. it's expensive to be wrong. >> good point. thank you so much. >> pleasure to be here. >> coming up next, the advantages of cooking with a whole chicken. we'll try some tasty recipes whole chicken. we'll try some tasty recipes with good advice. 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.

this morning on today's kitchen, what's for dinner? we're using a whole chicken to cook up great recipes. michael says it's less expensive, fresher and easy. he's from porterhouse new york here in manhattan. great to see you. always great to have you here. people buy parts because it's easy. >> and fast. if you buy whole chicken it's

fresher because it hasn't usually been sitting around. >> how much of a butcher do you have to be? >> whole chickens are easy, especially with poultry shears. all i'm doing with the whole chicken is i split and i'm going to take out the backbone. this comes right out. this is the chicken under a brick or the flattened or pressed chicken. all we do here is cut off the wing tips and remove this bone. >> that's the breastbone? >> exactly. >> mix the parsley with what? >> garlic, orange zest and lemon zest and olive oil to moisten. i'm taking out some of the rib bones. when you take out the rib bones it's very simple to cook the chicken. >> how far in advance do you marinate it? >> you can do it overnight. the marinade has red vinegar,

white wine and olive oil. overnight or an hour is fine. really all of this slips right under the skin. and the skin separates from the breast and then put it in here. i'm working with my hands. we'll clean up. >> that's fine. you do it in the skill let first and move to the oven. >> it works well. the skill let is what it's all about. the marinade is already premixed. olive oil, white wine and red vinegar. let me get cleaned up here. i have a nice wet one here. the chicken marinades overnight or for an hour or two. voer overnight is best for maximum flavor. >> the skill let is important. you like a good iron skill let. >> this is the right thing to cook in. it's going from the stove to the oven. >> skin side down.

>> these are masonry bricks. fresh, clean bricks. i cover them with foil. two bricks are fine. one would be fine. >> how long does it cook? >> ten minutes on the stove. in the oven for 20 minutes. flip it, take the bricks off and flip it. give it another five minutes or so. >> you want that dark crust on the skin. >> exactly. look at it. it's just beautiful when out's had a chance to really cook over like that. the skin is so crispy and it just comes apart beautifully. you can portion it just this way. >> looks great. all right. come on back and show me another recipe. >> well -- >> this is one of the first recipes you learned to make. >> my first job was in an italian-american restaurant. this is cobbler-style chicken. whole chicken. >> you can butcher it yourself. >> it's simple, economical and fresher. i love cooking chicken on the

bone. >> little olive oil in there. >> the wing bones, leg bones. we have fresh sausage. >> you're going to cook them together? >> all together. i will brown them all. >> is cooking times similar for both things? >> in 20 minutes this will be done. first we brown the chicken. then after we brown the chicken we take it out of the pan and we brown onions in the same pan with garlic. >> it's a one-pot dish. >> and we are going to put this all back in here. the chicken goes back in after it was browned with the sausage. >> what are we using for liquid there? >> we have chicken broth. put it right in there. white wine. and lemon juice. there's already garlic and onions in there. very flavorful. >> and herbs? >> herbs go at the end. we simmer it for 20 minutes. check the thigh to be sure it's fully cooked. really that's as simple as that. this is real italian american. >> here's what it looks like

when finished. you serve it with gnocchi? >> they're easy to make. cooks potatoes, peel them after i have cooked them so they don't get all waterlogged. potatoes, flour, eggs. it's a potato pasta. with prosciutto and green peas it's a great appetizer or a side dish. both chicken dishes, really the whole fresh chicken is the way to go. not only is it more economical but it's more flavorful to cook chicken on the bone than to buy chicken parts that have been sitting around for a couple days on the market. everyone's happy. i like legs and thighs. >> nice to see you, michael. up next, a live performance from country star dierks be bentley. first, this is "today" on nbc.

>> announcer: the toyota concert series on "today" brought to you by toyota. >> we're back now at 8:49 with one of the hottest names in country music. dierks bentley has sold more than 5 million albums. he's set to add to the totals with "home." good morning to you. >> good morning, ann. >> is it true you have poured more of yourself, written more songs with this cd than any

other? >> i spent a year and a half making the record. went in the studio a couple times to get it right. we have been working on the sound for several years to get it locked in. put a lot of time into it. >> that's a reason this cd is special to you. another reason is that you're writing it, doing this while you're a father. >> yeah. >> you have a couple of kids at hom. how are they informing what you have done on the cd? >> question of fawe have a home so wherever we go feels like home. but with kids i have a real home. i'm not sleeping on a couch or a houseboat or anything. there's my daughter singing with me on tv a couple days ago. >> beautiful! >> it's special. >> that's beautiful. >> oh, man. i wasn't expecting that this early. >> you're about to perform the song "home." before you do, i want to ask you about the picture you tweeted out when you knew you had gotten

nominated for an acm award for "home." is that what you do when you're happy? what do you do when you're upset? >> that's my guitar player's guitar. i'm doing it. i wouldn't do it to my martin. i grabbed brian's and took his. i stopped short of smashing it. it's always good to be nominated for song of the year. "home" is a special song about bringing people together and being so divided. i was excited to be nominated for the award. sorry, brian, about your guitar. it was a cool moment. >> congratulations. i know the awards ceremony is in april. it's a real pleasure to have you here. can't wait to hear you perform "home." the performer is dierks bentley. >> thank you.

♪ west ♪ on a plane bound west ♪ i see her stretching out below ♪ ♪ land ♪ blessed motherland ♪ the place where i was born ♪ scars ♪ yeah, she's got her scars ♪ sometimes it starts to worry me ♪ ♪ cause lose ♪ i don't wanna lose sight of who we are ♪ ♪ from the mountains high ♪ to the wave-crashed coast ♪ there's a way to find better days i know ♪ ♪ it's been a long hard ride ♪ got a ways to go ♪ this is still the place that we all call home ♪

♪ free, nothing feels like free though it sometimes means we don't get along ♪ ♪ same no, we're not the same ♪ ♪ but that's what's makes us strong ♪ from the mountains high ♪ ♪ to the wave-crashed coast ♪ there's a way to find better days i know ♪ ♪ it's been a long hard ride ♪ got a ways to go ♪ this is still the place ♪ that we all call home

♪ whoa ♪ yeah ♪ brave ♪ got to call it brave to chase that dream across the sea ♪ ♪ names ♪ then they signed their names for something they believe ♪ ♪ red ♪ how the blood ran red ♪ and we laid our dead in sacred ground ♪ just think ♪ ♪ wonder what they'd think if they could see us now ♪ ♪ it's been a long hard ride ♪ got a ways to go ♪ but this is still the place that we all call home ♪

♪ it's been a long hard ride ♪ and i won't lose hope ♪ this is still the place that we all call home ♪ ♪ whoa ♪ whoa >> the album is called "home." thank you so much. we'll be right back after these messages. en them. - and this has been happening since the accident? [piano music] - yeah. - your mind created an entire reality where your wife survived in one and your son in the other. - detective britten, the reality is that you can't tell whether you're asleep... - hannah! - or awake at this very moment. - yes, i see my wife when i close my eyes. i open them, and i see my son. the thing is, it all feels completely real to me.

- so, can we say this word on my new show? - oh, absolutely not. - well, what about this common euphemism for when a man loves a woman? - uh, that is not common, and it has nothing to do with love. - well, what if i was willing to do it to you? - um, i would need you to talk to hr. - i'm not into threesomes. - [laughs] i doubt that. oh. - are you there, chelsea? followhitney. part of nbc wednesday happy hour. it all starts 8:00/7:00 central on nbc. >> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. city police are investigating the shooting in west baltimore. officials say a man was shot multiple times around 1:00 monday afternoon.

no word on the

>> it is going to be another nice day. temperatures will be above average. we should sneak into the low 50s. that will change tomorrow. rain and snow will develop late in the morning and into the afternoon. high-temperature only 39. >> we will have another weather update at 9:25.