new evidence. investigators remove blood-stained items from a storage unit rented by josh powell. the latest developments come as his sons will be laid to rest today. new york giants basketball star jeremy lin has fans asking kobe who? his 38 points led the knicks to a resounding victory over the los angeles lakers. the 6'3" point guard has seemingly come out of nowhere to become the most talked about player in the nba. and who's that girl? her mom and dad are the music industry's most famous duo, and now their daughter is getting her first shot at fame.

we'll tell you who she is. today's saturday, february 11th, 2012. captions paid for by nbc-universal television good morning, everyone. welcome to "today" on a saturday morning. i'm lester holt. >> and i'm aby row back, and that beautiful bundle of joy with all that hair, her last name is carter. but that might not mean anything to anybody. >> beyonce and jay-z's daughter, blue ivy. these pictures were released for free. we often don't see celebrities -- >> they usually sell it online. >> this on a social networking site. >> i don't think they need the money. >> looks like jay-z. >> i think she's adorable. >> we have a lot to talk about including politics, republican candidates clearly want that conservative vote. and so what's being called the

super bowl of conservative voters is going on. it's the conservative politicala conference or cpac in washington. on friday they heard from mitt romney, newt gingrich, and rick santorum. today sarah palin addresses a crowd during a straw poll that could shape the presidential candidate. then the trial of george huguely. he's accused of killing his girlfriend yeardley love. that testimony got under way about a tumultuous relationship and drinking. what the jurors have heard so far. plus mimi alford had an 18-month relationship with john f. kennedy. she tells us why telling her stories with u so important. before we get to all of that, let's begin with today's top news stories and for that let's head over to the news

desk. that's where nbc's janet shamlian is standing by. >> good morning. this morning shows concussion of the captain and crew of the "costa concordia" an hour after the ship hit a reef and capsized. it appears to show captain francesco ske tenobeing pressured by other officers to evacuate the ship. he reportedly replies, okay, fine. let's let them go to land. at least 17 people died in last month's disaster. 15 are still missing, and the captain is under house arrest. as president assad tries to hold onto power in syria, satellite images released friday appear to show syrian army tanks and other armored vehicles moving into the city of homs, which has been under siege for several days now. fighting in homs has reportedry killed hundreds of people over the past week, and with some of the violence even reaching the capital of damascus. american officials are now closing the u.s. embassy there. activists in egypt plan to

mark this first anniversary of president hosni mubarak's overthrow with anti-army protests. our reporter is in cairo. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, janet. called for the departure of the president has been replace by new political realities marked by some differences between some revolutionary groups and political parties. today a nationwide strike called by some groups seems to haven't gotten that much traction. they're calling on the military to hand over power quickly, but that does not seem to have galvanized the street protests that we saw in last year's protests. there are those mainly led by infamous parties and others who feel that these strikes are affecting the economy here and that the egyptian economy is in bad enough shape. it does not need anymore. a lot of things emerging. >> thank you very much. europe is suffering from bone-crunching cold temperatures and snowstorms today.

heavy snow hit the mountainous area of central italy also on friday, covering roads there with snow and ice. the national guard was called in to get things moving again. in sports, the knicks' jeremy lin, an undrafted harvard graduate ending the mighty lakers' dominance of that rivalry. lin tried to pretend it was just another game, but the night proved he's no one-week wonder and he's got a real nba career ahead of him. lin is now averaging more than 25 points per game. and she's been a sensation since she was born, and now blue ivy has made her public debut. five photos are publishnded on her superstar parents' web page. at 7:05, that's the news. and now let's head back to amy and lester. >> janet, thank you very much. >> thanks very much. let's get a check of the weather with the weather channel's mike

bettes. >> it's little ugly outside. i want to take you this morning to the great lakes state and michigan. did you see what happened along i-75? the snow got so bad people actually abandoned their vehicles and started walking. these are hardy folks. we take you to europe. the snow so high in romania it eefrs the tops of their cars, up to the rooftops. no, thank you. a complete opposite to europe and what we've had here in the united states. hey, i tell you what. it's back, winter is very cold for us right now, and we've got snow to deal with as well. winter weather advisories, storm warnings from pittsburgh to erie all the way down toward the mountains of western carolina. here's the snow for you in cleveland, pittsburgh. into the northeast as well. light snow for you. in and around philadelphia and new york, it will mix. it won't really add up to much. but for many of you it's going to be a significant accumulation

through the weekend. for some of you, a foot to a foot and a half of snow. you'll see it in maine as well. improving conditions later today. getting chilly across the south including in the state of florida. that's a look at the weather >> the early morning picture over the city, light snow, haze, a little fog on the eastern shore. some snow showers. our highs will be in the upper 30's to near 40. another weather update comes your way in one half hour. now here's amy. >> all right, mike. thank you. this evening the main republican party will announce the results of its week-long caucus and while three of the four candidates have chalked up

at least one victory, we could see a first-time win for ron paul. c's ron allen joins us from portland. good morning, ron. >> reporter: good morning. we're outside one of the many caucus sites outside maine. we expect him to stop by sometime day. it's a two-man race between ron paul and mitt romney. it's ron paul's best chance to win this state. he has a very big following here. mitt romney arrived last night and held a town hall meeting. he'd add he's added two events here today where he's expected to win. of course, it's a big day to win because he wants to end that four-contest losing streak. the voting following a big day in washington, d.c., where the candidates wrote to the conservative activists known as cpac. he really got a very warm reception. and then romney had a chance to push back. >> we always talk how are we going to get the moderates? why would an undecided voter

vote for a candidate of a party where the party's not excited about? >> i fought against law and odds in a deep blue state, but i was a severely conservative republican governor. >> reporter: that term "severely conservative republican governor sts is going to be referred to many times. back here in maine all the votes are going to be counted by early this ovening. only 5,000 or 6,000 caucusgoers are going to be participating. a big, big day on the political calendar, especially for mitt romney who really needs a win the get things back on track. ammy? >> ron, thanks so much. here's lester. now to the compromised contraceptive mandate. it would allow people to get precontraceptives directly from health insurance companies but it seems the controversy is far from over. nbc's kristen welker has the

latest. >> reporter: under fire from catholic bishop republicans and some of his own parties president obama backed off. >> the more cynical desire on the part of some to make this into a political football it became clear that spending months hammering out a solution was not going to be an option. >> reporter: three weeks ago the administration announced that all religiously affiliated institutions would have to cover contraception at no cost to their employees. but now an about-face. >> religious organizations won't have to pay for these services, and no religious institution will have to provide these services directly. >> reporter: instead, the insurance companies providing coverage for those groups will be required to reach out to women directly and offer contraception coverage without charge. the administration officials maintain the insurance companies will ultimately save money through preventive care.

some republicans say the president missed point. >> this is not about cost. it's about faith principles that those institutions hold dear. >> reporter: archbishop, timothy dolan one of the president's most outspoken critics this past week -- >> that ooh is a foul ball by any standard. >> reporter: released a statement friday that read today's decision to revise how individuals obtain services that are morallyoable to religious end tees and people of first is a first step in the right direction. representatives of supporters say case closed. >> women of all where they work. >> reporter: many catholic women were also cheering the news. >> it gives the women the right to the ability to get the contraception they need and it givens the churches the ability to continue with their strong beliefs. >> reporter: republican candidates have been hammering the president on this issue for

days, so now the obama campaign is preparing to deal with it all the way to november. for today, kristen welker, nbc news, the white house. it's 11 minutes past the hour. here's amy. former penn state acie tamt coach was back in cord on friday. his attorneys requested leniency in his bail restrictions. one of the main issue, could sandusky visit his grand children. nbc's correspondent michael isikoff has the details. >> reporter: accused child molester jerry sandusky makes an appeal to see his grand children. >> one of them said that the only thing i want for my birthday is to be able to see pop. >> reporter: and i a kuss his neighbors of betraying him after they complain he's been sitting on the deck with his dog and frightening their children. >> now i can't take my dog on the deck and throw out biscuits to him. now all of a sudden these people

turn on me when they've been in my home with their kids. >> reporter: the former penn state defense coach showed up in court on friday in terms of his house arrest while he awastes trial on more than 50 counts of child sex abuse. his lawyer asked the judge to grant sandusky more freedom to see his grand children, to meet with old friends, and to leave his home to accompany a private investigator to help identify potential witnesses in his case, but prosecutors strongly opposed the motion and want him confined inside the walls of his house. they say his repeated visits to his porch directly overlooking an elementary school play grounld is unserving his neighbors. >> it's -- the whole back of his house faces an elementary school. to think that he's up there watching our kids and that's his new outlet is creepy. >> reporter: at the friday court hearing an agent testified that a teacher had reported that students could see sandusky out on the deck from inside the

classroom, one of them crying out, that man is out there. >> neighbors are very concerned about mr. sandusky. there's a discomfort level out there in the community. >> reporter: the judge said he will rule on the question of where sandusky can go and who he can see early next week. along with other issues in the caseing but he did make clear he wants to move the case quickly to a trial, which is now scheduled for may 14th. for "today," michael isikoff, nbc news, bellefonte, pennsylvania. as mitt romney continues to battle for republican nomination the question of faith continues to be no focus, whether americans are becoming accepting of his religion, mormonism. here's kristen dahlgren. >> reporter: the mormon tabernacle choir, until now the best known voice of an institution that for many remains a mystery. >> they see themselves as

something of an embattled minority. >> reporter: nearly half say they face discrimination. >> obviously when you are referred to as a cult, it is disappointing. >> reporter: 62% say they feel other americans are uninformed about their beliefs, but is all that about to change? >> i believe in america and i'm running for president of the united states. >> reporter: with some very high-profile meshes of the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints in the spot light, many are calling this the mormon moment. there's the smash broadway musical "the book of mormon." the book, the twilight series is written by mormon stephenie meyer. and, of course, mitt romney. >> he's been the vanguard of mushing the mormon faith into kind of a mainstream american culture. >> reporter: when he ran for the white house in 2008 he addressed his religion. >> no candidate should become the spokesman for his faith for if he becomes president, he will

need the prayer of the people of all faiths. >> reporter: but in a 2011 public religion research survey, 42% said a mormon president would make them somewhat or very uncomfortable. perhaps it's because of misconceptions like this. >> we present ourselves unto thee. >> reporter: this hbo show is about polygamy, officially abandoned by the religion back in the 1890s. we don't believe in polygamy. there are not active mormons that practice polygamy, and so that's just -- that's a perfect example of just a misunderstanding that comes from the show. >> reporter: to combat these notions the church has started an ad campaign depicting everyday mormons. >> i'm a father, a husband, and a musician, and i am a mormon. >> reporter: but for many, even high-profile misperceptions can offer opportunity. >> i do appreciate that good people will come forth and say, really, is that what you believe in, and then it gives us a

chance to come forward and say, no, will it me explain. >> reporter: a mormon moment that many church members hope will lead to a lifetime of greater understanding. for "today," kristen dahlgren, nbc news, los angeles. well, now to a virus that is so strong cruise ships have been forced to return to port early because many passengers have become ill. it's called the norovirus, and it's second only to the common cold in terms of the number of people affected by the virus each year in the u.s. here's nbc's chief medical director dr. nancy snyderman. >> reporter: this seven-day cruise was anything but a pleasure. hundreds of sick passengers and crew members aboard the luxury "crown princess" were hit by a most unwelcome party guest, the norovirus. >> it's been a nightmare. we lost two full days of our cruise. >> reporter: another ship, the "ruby princess" docked early after 100 members of its passengers and crew became ill. >> the captain came across and

made a few announcements that there was a sickness on the ship. >> they basically didn't want us to touch anything somebody else might have touched. >> reporter: here's the norovirus under a mike row skroep. they say it's easiest route of transz mission, close quarters. >> because everyone is jammed up so tightly together, it's so easy for that virus to spread one person to another. those people spread it to four others. those four spread it to 18 others. >> reporter: and it's not just cruise ships. in new jersey, more than 150 students contracted norovirus at nearby princeton university. hundreds were taken to the hospital after painful stomach cramps, nausea, and diarrhea. they spent time cleaning and s n sannisan advertising areas. >> that's by washing our hand, making sure that we sanitize and scrub the halls and bathrooms

and, you know, places where this can spread. >> reporter: dr. nancy snyderman, nbc news, new york. and once again, here's lester. this morning on "today's health," prevejting the onset of alzheimer's, memory loss and forgetfulness may be a normal part of the aging process, but new science shows we can prevent the serious symptoms that lead to apz. dr. gary small is the director of ucla longevity center and the author of "alzheimer's's prevention program." good morning. good to have you on the program. >> thanks. >> i think a lot of people fear as they get old irthey're going to get alzheimer's. is it inevitable that our memory's going to slip? >> that's a myth. in fact, genetic factors only account for part of the risk and lifestyle choices we make every day have a greater impact on how well our brain ages. what is exciting and unique

about the alzheimer's's prevention program is it provides people with a seven-day jump-start program so they can really see change right away. it makes it easy, and it helps them create new brain-healthy lifestyle habits they can kochbt for the rest of their life. >> to be clear are we delaying the onset or preventing alzheimer's? ? w >> we're talking about delaying the onset of symptoms. if people can keep up these brain-healthy lifestyle habits for one, two, three, four years they can delay the onset long enough that they never get it through their lifetime. >> one of the most important things you advocate in this book is physical exercise goes a long way. >> taking a brisk daily walk lowers your risk of developing apz by 40%. they're sprougt branches, communicating more effectively, and strengthening themselves for the long haul. >> and you also point out the fact that there are certain

foods that we should be eating. >> the alzheimer's prevention diet includes antioxidant fruits and vegetables that protect our brain cells from the aging process. also omega-3 fats from fish and nuts fight inflammation, which can attack our brain cells as we age. and we want to get healthy whole grains. together this kind of diet helps us manage our weight, which is critically important because overweighted on obesity is strongly linked to alzheimer's. >> how about stress in our lives? does that affect our ability to retain memory? >> stress is the enemy of memory and it literally shrinks the memory centers of the brain, but we can manage stress better, and when we do that, we lower our risk for depression, we increase our mental focus and improve our memory rather quick will i. >> give me an exercise, something that we can do that will make us sharper. >> i like to teach look, snap, connect. look is a reminder focus attention. snap to create a mental snapshot

or picture. and finally, connect is a way to link up those mental snapshots so they have meaning. >> all right. dr. small, thanks very much. good to see you again. >> thank you. >> we'll be right back.

still to come here on "today," the former lacrosse player. in court the jurors hear his reaction when he learns of yeardley love's death. then mimi alford says she had an 18-month affair with the president. critics say she should have kept it a secret. first these messages from your local news.

>> good morning. i'm kerry cavanaugh. the time is 7:25.

here's a look at some of our top stories this morning. days after a landmark settlement deal for victims of the foreclosure crisis, hundreds of marylanders are already seeking help. maryland is set to receive $960 million after the state's attorney attorney reached a settlement with the state's largest mortgage lenders. that will allow people to seek relief, refinancing, or payment to those whose homes have been foreclosed upon. >> greatly stressed. everyone who called had a story about what happened and what they were experiencing. they were, you know, excited that there was someone they could call and get some type of assistance. >> if you are looking for information about the settlement or need help to stop a foreclosure, you are urged to call the 410-576-6300. >> baltimore mayor stephanie rawlings-blake announced the city will enter into a five-year agreement with the motor sports

promotor. it will bring racing events to downtown baltimore on labor day weekend of this year through 2016. the city canceled its contract with baltimore racing last year after they did not pay $12 million in debts to investors, the city, and the state. >> congressman elijah cummings has been given a service award from the center of african-american culture for his work on civil rights. the congressman is a ranking member on the house committee on government oversight and reform. >> we're back with a

>> good morning. so far about an inch of snow in the immediate metropolitan area. a half inch or less has fallen. beginning to trail away. this first batch of snow in howard county and moving to the east close to the i-95 corridor. beginning a rain-snow mix. part two coming in from the west. our current temperatures have been at or just above freezing. humidity is up. the barometer is falling. at the moment, the winds are calm. part one of the storm is associated with a low pressure center near cape hatteras. that becomes a big nor'easter. it will be past us when that happens. cold front comes in this afternoon. with that, cold showers ahead of the cold front. we get a second hit of snow before things calm down. the snow-rain mix this morning, snow showers this afternoon, generally an inch or two

accumulation. winds become northwesterly. an increase this afternoon. 15 to 25 with a high close to 40. >> thank you, john. thank you for squoing us. back -- thank you for joining us. we're back with another update. we'll see you then. we're back on this saturday morning, february 11th. look at that crowd. so many of them so excited. we're happy to have them with us on a wet winter morning here in new york city. we were expecting some snow, but this morning, it was very disappointing because it was just rain and it hasn't stopped these great folks from coming out on the zpla this morning. we're going to join them in just a bit and say hi. first i'm amy robach along with lester holt.

first a story about pom-pom mom. >> she was charged in a murder for hire plot when she tried to kill the mother of her daughter's school rival. now her daughter is speaking out about how her life was affected by this sensational story. we're going to bring it to you. and then the duchess effect. she's one of the most photographed women in the world. kate middleton has proved she's not only a trendsetter but a fashion icon. how she's had an effect on the fashion industry all around the world. and who says love grows oil. with valentine's day just a fwu days ago, we'll introduce you to a couple who found love a second time around and at 90 years old. it's a very sweet story. you don't want to miss it. >> i love it. we have to make a hard turn here because first we're going to have to talk about violence, infidelity, and excessive drinking. that's what the jury in the yeardley love trial heard. love's 24-year-old boyfriend george huguely is charged with killing her two years ago.

nc's mike viqueira has more on the dramatic testimony. >> reporter: it was the most wrenching tay yet in the murder trial of george huguely. jurors heard an account from huguely himself when prosecutors played a recorded statement he made to police just hours after yeardley love was found dead in her apartment. waving his right to lawyer huguely told police after a day of heavy drinking he went to love's apartment late at night to talk, he says, about their troubled relationship. under questioning huguely reveals kicking the hole in her door and choke her but denies that she died. he says he shook her a little, they wrestled on the floor and she may have had a bloody nose. after tossing love onto her bed, he says he left her apartment claiming that love never lost consciousness during the altercation. the defense claims he did not intention ally kill love and medication love was taking may have trinted to her death.

three days of testimony have revealed a pattern of mutual infidelity, mental abused on the part of huguely and love during the course of their fiery two-year relationship. he appeared to think he was under suspicion of assault, not murder. 45 minutes in the detective reeves drops a bombshell. she's dead. you killed her. at this point he drops into his stairings. i didn't hurd her. i didn't. there's no way she died. later, i never did anything that would do that to her. tell me she's not dead as it played out, one member of the family and he could be seen wiping away tears. >> beth caras is a former prosecutor and trutv correspondent. beth, good morning. >> good morning. >> what a tough week of testimony in this trial. i want to go back to what mike first was talking about in terms of the tape recorder and what

was heard by huguely. he said he kicked open ya yeardley's door, wrestled with her, he may have grabbed her neck but he didn't strangle her. how damaging is that? >> it's an admission that he's there and he had a physical altercation with her. so it's pretty darn damaging. now, the issue in this case, though, isn't is he innocent or guilty. it's what is this? is this murder or manslaughter? the defense is looking for man slaught sneer right. when he told the police, he sounded genuinely distraught and shocked. does that help him? >> well, it can help. it can -- maybe some jurors will feel, you know what? he djts go in there with the intention to kill here. there are a couple theories of murder. one is premeditated murder. the other is felony murder. he busted into the place. he commit add burglary. and you commit a felony while you're committing this burkley. if you commit the murder rather while you're committing the

felony, that could be murder, the same level, as premeditated murder. that's really a stronger theory for the prosecution. >> speaking to that, what about the notion by the defense that he was so drunk he couldn't have planned to murder her? >> well, i don't know. there's an e-mail two or three days earlier that said i should have killed you when i found out you were with that unc lacrosse player. >> is that not intent to kill? it is some evidence and then he throws her computer away. it's a question of what do you call this. >> right. well, then, to complicate things further you have a lot of witnesses who took the stand who describe a very physically violent relationship between both of them. how will that weigh in the minds of the jurors? she would hit him. he would hit her. this was a long-standing violent relationship. >> right. so their past is relevant, but what happened in that room is what is the issue for the jury. it's not like she invited him in. he busted his way in. the evidence was introduced in the courtroom with the hole in the door.

he forced his way in there. and if she fought with him in the room, she had a right to defend herself. she was a mess. she had an eye that was swollen shut. she was all bloody. her injuries are not consistent with what he told police he said. that's the problem for him. >> what can we expect next week? >> there'll be more forensic evidence next week. >> all right. beth caras, thanks so much. we appreciate it. >> my pleasure. let's head over to mike beit is for another check of the weather. good morning, mike. >> good morning, amy. there's a look at your forecast today. very chilly across the north in places like chicago, just 19 degrees. minneapolis, 13. we we've got snow in the east, pittsburgh, philadelphia, new york, and boston. getting cold across the south. temperature along the gulf coast will only be in the 50s today. that's a look at the weather all across the

will only be in the 50s today. abuse and grief. taylor armstrong of the "real housewives of beverly hill" talks about her tumultuous life on and off the screen. a former white house aide who says she cared on an 18-month relationship with the president. first these messages. s jewelry designs are uniquely beautiful. one look, and it's easy to see

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what a bargain! [ female announcer ] sometimes a good deal turns out to be not such a good deal. but new bounty gives you value you can see. in this lab demo, one sheet of new bounty leaves this surface cleaner than two sheets of the leading ordinary brand. so you can clean this mess with half as many sheets. bounty has trap and lock technology to soak up big spills and lock them in. why use more when you can use less? bring it with new bounty. during the summer of 1962 mimi alford entered the whougs. she would have a formal affair for 18 months until his dechlkt she kept a secret until now. she's written about the affair in a book called "once upon a secret:my affair with john f. kennedy and its aftermath." good morning, mimi.

good to have you here. >> thank you. >> how are you doing? it's been over a week? >> iemt doing incredibly well, i'm so surprised. i think it has to do with finding my voice and feeling confident about that and also understanding that other people have their voice, and it's -- whatever criticism i've had, i feel that in a way i almost welcome it. it's making me understand what it is to have a voice. i feel actually liberated. >> i mean it's an understatement to say people have their voice. i've been priv yo to a number of water cooler conversations this week. everybody wants to talk about this and talk about you, and many of the characterizations are harsh to put it quite bluntly. are you such prized -- in this book you almost invite people to judge you. is it a surprise people are judging you? >> i'm not sure it's -- no, it's not surprising to me. it would have been in 2003 when i was outed by robert dollack.

what i've had to do is silence myself again, even though i admitted the truth. but i really silenced myself. this is very different and it's been very interesting to me because the writing of the book was one piece and having to relive all those memories and now talking about it is a whole other step. i think that's what really -- the importance of my story is. that's what it's called. >> of course, the big part of the story is the first time you slept with the president, it was in jackie's bedroom. at that moment had you decided this was a one-time thing, never again in. >> in that moment in mrs. kennedy's bedroom, i don't think after that i decided anything. i think i was just in way wondering what had happened. >> was this an affair? was this an assault? what was it? >> i don't think it was either of those. i didn't feel that it was an assault, and i wasn't really sure what it was or what it turned into. >> in the fall of 1962 you said

that there with us a pregnancy scare and the president basically said take care of it, didn't want to deal with the idea of a baby. and the next year his son patrick dies prematurely. in the book you write about watching him grieve and the first time you had seen anybody grieve on that level. >> right. >> so when you're thinking back to your pregnancy scare, were you surprised at the different president kennedy in those situations? >> no, because the pregnancy scare, i didn't feel that it was sort of you take care of it. it was, this is how we would help you. so i think that being with him -- >> go see this doctor. >> when he was grieving for his lost child, that's what i focused on as a good part of him. >> you said you originally were supposed to go to dallas with the president in november of '63. at the last minute jackie goes instead. you were at the gas station when you hear the news about his assassination. >> yeah. >> what was your reaction?

>> it was probably like everybody's reaction. i was absolutely stunned. >> but the stunned feeling that most people felt was the loss of a president. >> that's right. it was a docombination. >> but you'd lost a lover? >> yes. i lost someone i'd had a relationship with for 18 months. it with us shocking. >> and you could not grieve publicly at the loss of a lover. >> no. >> you could grieve at the loss of a president like everyone else. >> i couldn't even grieve at the loss of a president because shortly after that, i really accepted the demand to be silent, never discuss it, never tell anybody. so i actually never got to grieve, even for the loss of a president. >> this was the end of the relationship obviously. where in your mind was it going up until that point? >> i probably didn't think too much about where the relationship was going because i was engaged to be married at that time. >> were you going to continue the relationship even as a married woman? >> no, i don't think so. and the president also knew that i was getting married.

i think the relationship had come to an end. >> as we look at this story and inevitably we're going to judge, who's the injured party here? you or the presidentso? >> i've been the injured party if you look at what the story's done to me, leaving me with this secret i've lived with for so long and not be able to resolve those issues and really have my voice. that's where the injury is. i think a piece of me was shut down and silenced, and it's really taken this long for me to understand what it is to be opeopen and to have a voice. >> lastly, back to those water cooler conversations we've all been having about this book, the question i keep asking in this discussion is what does she want us to do with this? read this? what are we as the reader -- >> i think it's an interesting question. thing a lot of people are doing different things with it.

i've actually heard from a number of young women who heard my story and my book has opened a conversation for them to deal with secrets in their life in situations of being silenced and not being open. so that's a way that people look at their own lives. >> mimi alford, thanks for stopping by. it was good to talk with you. we're going to take a break. we'll be back with more after these messages. a long term struggle needs long term relief. eucerin calming creme. used every day, its triple ingredient formula is clinically proven to relieve dry, itchy skin, with 92% of people reporting improved overall skin condition over time. eucerin calming creme. and the gentle cleansing formula of calming body wash. calm, healthy skin starts with eucerin. have 46 grams of whole grains... mmmm. ...and a touch of sweetness. you'll be delighted to discover how good they taste.

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hitched late last year. like many couples they had a traditional wedding, reception, and honeymoon. what makes this unique? the combined age of the bride and groom is 182. like most gentlemen, colonel william thomas doesn't like to kiss and tell, but he just can't help himself when it comes to his wife. >> part of her hasn't aged bee beyond 40 years, her lessing, her bosoms, her face, her hair. >> you're going to say that on tv? >> he's allowed because he's a new lie wed. >> congratulations. it's never too age. >> at the mutual age of 91 william and margaret tied the knot in december. the bride and groom certainly didn't let age get in the way of tradition. marking the occasion with a church service followed by a reception and, of course, a

honeymoon. >> we had a very good family gathering for the wedding. >> both were recently widowed and had been friends years ago. >> margaret was the best friend of my wife's. >> the comes lost touch, but then fate stepped in last fall when margaret moved next door to watermelon at this retirement community in charleston, south carolina. >> it was a pleasant feeling to know that there's someone there for you, and that's what we missed when we lost our spouses. >> both lived full lives before retiring here. margaret ran an antique story and william was president eisenhower's pilot. >> there aren't too many men like this in the world. >> they still have their own apartments but these days they're only an arm's length or kiss away from each other.

>> it was meant to happen. >> it will make the last ten years of our life great. >> proving it's never too late to find true love. >> does that make you feel good or what? >> they do. they look great for walking down the aisle. i love that. >> they're very happy. we're happy for them. we're back in a moment, but first this is "today" on nbc.

still to come on "today," new evidence police in washington state find new clues in a storage unit rented by josh powell. and the duchess effect. how one of the most photographed women of the world has a billion-dollar effect on the fashion industry. we'll talk about that and much more, but first these messages. who thinks it might be time to listen to her heart. so she talked to her walgreens pharmacist who gave her a free blood pressure test and showed her how easy it is to do it herself at home. get a free blood pressure test

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here is a look at some of our top stories. the murder trial of george huguely took an intense emotional tunch on -- turn on friday. jurors listened to an intense emotional investigation of george huguely the night his girlfriend, yeardley love, was murdered. george huguely first learned at that time that yeardley love was dead. several witnesses testified that huguely and love had a volatile relationship. george huguely even admitted the two wrestled and shoved, but he claims he never strangled her. >> a man aqueuesed -- accused of killing his roommate is found able to stand trial. davidov's attorney said his client was being sexually abused and acted in self-defense.

davidov was committed after found not capable of standing trial in the death of a psychiatrist. >> a video went viral on you tube earlier this year showing police detaining one man when another man comes out of nowhere and attacks the police officer. the rule states police cannot stop people from videotaping. it comes days after a court hearing over a man who says the

>> good morning. we have had a half inch to about an inch of snow around the area. heavier amounts off to the north. the trailing edge of this first batch of snow is moving through town and will be moving onto the east. the rain-snow mix has been recently on the eastern shore. batch two is ahead of a cold front. temperatures will fall. the winds will pick up. as this approaches, we could see snow showers and a little more accumulation of snow. we are talking about perhaps as much as one to two generally across the area. a snow-rain mix. more of a snow shower this afternoon as temperatures start to fall. we should peak out before the front gets in at 36 to a 41-degree range. a winter weather advisory in effect. that it is until 7:00 this evening. that is north of baltimore city and does not include howard or anne arundel counties on this particular advisory. a winter storm warning out in

far western maryland. a blustery day tomorrow. we may get flurries with highs only in the 30's. next week, though, back to the 40's. >> thank you, john. thank you for joining us. we're back in 25 minutes with another update. welcome back to "today," saturday morning, the 11th day of february, 2012. a nice crowd out here. remember that rain we mentioned a bit earlier? it is now turning to snow flurries here. >> yay. >> it's all right. we haven't seen a lot of o that. outside on the plaza, lester holt along with amy robach. coming up in this half hour, we're going to talk about the duchess effect. >> that's right. as the duchess moves up the fashion list, wait until you hear who she replaced for the

top spot. then we're going to talk about the sobering reality for a reality store from "the real housewives of beverly hills." taylor was a star. when the cameras weren't rolling, she dealt with her husband husband's abuse and his suicide. plus a pom-pom mom 20 years later. in 1991 wanda holloway tried to hire a hit man to kill the mother of her daughter's cheerleading rival. that daughter is now all grown up and she's talking about how the scandal affected her. we're going to have that story coming up. before we get to that let's head over to the news desk and jan net shamlian with all the news there. good morning. the nation's roman catholic bishop are expressing doubts about president obama's change in the birth control rule. he was balking off to provide free birth control coverage even if it goes against their beliefs.

>> religious organizations won't have to pay for these services, and no religious institution will have to provide these services directly. >> instead the employees of those institutions will be able to get precontraceptives directly from the health insurance companies. the power ball, it's up to $310 million. it's the fifth largest jackpot ever and the 12th largest for any u.s. lottery but those records could fall if the jackpot rolls over once again tonight. seems like greece may be able to use some of the money. they will vote on a $170 billion bailout which includes slashing the minimum wage and firing thousands of civil workers. protests against the antiausterity measures turned violent on friday. police fired tear gas at demonstrators as thousands of striking workers marched to parliament in protest of tax increases and government cuts. the u.s. navy is honoring

former congresswoman gabrielle giffords by naming a ship after her. giffords was critically injured during an as is nation attempt in tucson last year. music's first couple, beyonce and jay-z are just like any proud parents who reyenltly had a baby. they're posting a series of intimate portraits of themselves with their intimate bundle of joy on their new website. blue ivy was born a few months ago. they welcome the fans to share in their joy. speaking of joy, wedding bells are ringing for a penguin couple at the shanghai akwar jum. this time of year just before valentine's day has become a hugely popular festival in china. it's an influence of western customs on chinese culture. the humble penguins were selected because of their monogamous nature and unbridled love for each other. dmoinlts how you figure that out but that's what they say.

that is the news. now let's head back outside to amy on the plaza. >> i'm with you, janet. the weather channel's mike bettes is out on the plaza with us with a little snowfall. >> you were disappointed. it was raining early. now we've got snow. we have people from pennsylvania and oklahoma. i've got to ask. you've about got the vocal cords all warmed up because it can't be good for them. >> you're excited about singing there? >> yes. >> let's talk about your weather. for many of you it is very, very chilly. take a look at numbers this morning. it's 11 below in international falls. it is bone-chilling. look at those windchills. 29 below at international falls, 22 below as you head up toward montana. now, for many of you today, the temperatures well below what you've been skperning all winterlong which has almost been a winter without a winter. look at those numbers. awfully chilly for most of

>> the early morning picture this morning, rain up around baltimore. a mix of rain and snow. snow showers in the afternoon forecast. our highs only near 40 and another update comes your way at the bottom of the hour. no to washington state where investigators have found new evidence against josh powell who killed himself and his two young sons on sunday. a bloody comforters with found in a sforj yostorage yu night, this as his two young sons will be laid to rest.

>> reporter: good morning. a large crowd will be here gathering in a few hours. this as we learn more about their father who was accused or who murdered them and the evidence police have collected against him. in the days following josh powell's double murder/suicide, police continue to make shocking discoveries. just yesterday they announced they found a blood-soaked comforter in the storage shed represented by josh powell. potential evidence that will undergo further testifying. too early to tell if it could belong to his missing wife susan who investigators openly say he may have murdered back in 2009. also this week police released this picture. josh powell withdrawing $7,000 from a bank 24 hours before he sets he home on fire with his boys inside. mounting evidence that includes disturbing images also found on his home computer. >> what that was. it was pornography in that it was animated. it was cartoons, but it still

kind of hinted at incestuous kids and adults, but it was animation cartoons. >> reporter: the image, say investigators, were among the reasons that powell feared he would lose supervised visits with his two boys. on sunday when a social worker brought 7-year-old charlie and 5-year-old brayden to his home, he took their lives in what please called a well plan and calculated fire. the social worker says powell told his boys, i have a surprise for you after slamming the front door shut. after hearing a scream from brayden, the social worker dialed 911. >> they have to respond to emergency, life-threatening situations first. >> this could be life-threatening. >> reporter: on the official mrm call, confusion. a deputy wasn't dispatched for your eight minutes. by the time the police arriving 22 minutes after the call, there was nothing they could do. >> i just wish that i had understood better what the circumstances were and the

lethal quality of this call and all the dangerous potential that was there. >> reporter: though never charged with a crime, josh powell was named as a person of interest in his wife susan's 2009 disappearance, but police now call his double murder/suicide an admission of guilt in his wife's suspected murder. >> and it's not over. our daughter still missing. we don't know where she is. >> reporter: josh powell's father, steven powell who was arrested on a count of child pornography and pled not guilty has been named a person of interest in susan's disappearance. so far investigators have not been able to speak to him. meanwhile, lester, later today the focus will be on charlie and brayden as his grandparents remember both those two young boys and their daughter. lester? >> an incredibly sad tale. miguel, thank you so much. we're back in a moment. but first these messages. it's going to be a great day today. this is harvest day,

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would tragically end. taylor armstrong's husband, russell, also a cast member, committed suicide after their marriage unraveled as cameras rolled on their reality tv show airing on bravo, a cable network of nbc universal. >> i think she's having a nervous breakdown. >> taylor, whose behavior became more erratic each week was in the midst of divorcing russell when his body was found hanging inside their hollywood hills home. taylor was there when the 911 call was made. >> it's all right. it's all right. >> it's not all right. >> although armstrong's death was ruled a suicide, his sister has her doubts. >> there was no doubt, no nothing. i feel it in my bones i know he didn't do it. >> police found no evidence of foul play, but the show's producers faced criticism when

they went ahead to air season two weeks after the suicide. >> did they ever consider not having the show continue because of this strategy? >> we along with the network took a hard look at the show and looked at it very thoroughly, and we decided to make some adjustments where appropriate in light of the circumstances. >> off camera taylor repeatedly toast cast members she was at the hands of physical abuse. on camera they confronted her about her doubts of the claim. >> we don't say he broke your jaw or he beat you up and he hit you. we don't know if it's true. you come over and you don't have any signs of physical abuse on your body. >> this is really uncool. >> taylor armstrong is with us now. taylor, good morning. >> good morning. >> we should mention, we spoke to your husband's sister, russell arm strong's sister, and she said her husband denied ever

abusing you, and that is obviously a large part of what you write about in this book. she said, why is she doing this when he's dead and can't defend himself. it's only been six months. >> right. >> since russell died. do you feel like enough time has passward you have perspective on what happen and how you got to this point? >> no. i don't think i'll ever have perspective. i think years from now i'll still have sleepless nights and wonder how did i ever get here. i miss him terribly every day and i loved him so much, but i can't bring him back. but what i can do is try to tell the story in order to help other women out there that could potentially be in this situation or could get into this situation. one in four women is going to be abused in their lifetime. so if you're a mother, sister, brother, friend of someone who could be in a dangerous situation, this book is really for them. >> and that is your purpose for writing this book because a lot of people might say, okay, taylor, your life is already on full display with cameras following you and all of the incredibly difficult moments

we've seen have already been seen on camera. why write this book? why do we need to know more? >> absolutely. i have struggled with self-esteem issues my whole life. you see me fall completely to pieces on housewives. our lives are already all over the place, so really just putting it into print, it gives other people a little bit more perspective on how i got here. i loved the man with all of my heart and it was probably more of a love addiction than a real love because it was like that lightning bolt kind of love where you just see each other and you can't be away from each other. it was a blast sometimes, and it was the most dangerous thing i' ever done, but it was -- the fact that i was broken and he was broken and those two broken pieces just fit together in a really dynamic way. >> you started your book tour this week. >> yes. >> and it stirred up a lot of public emotion. were you prepared for the backlash that has ensued since you wrote this book? >> no. i mean you really can't be. even being on reality television, you're not prepared for the criticism that comes

along with it. but you know what? the critics, i get it. i get everything that people feel and think. this is a really difficult story to tell. it's difficult to hear, but it's my story. it's my journey, and i'm willing to put myself out there in order to see if we can make a difference. and it's going to make it a conversation. and unless we start talking about it, we're not going to put an end to it. >> right. let's talk a little bit about what you wrote specifically. you say your ex-husband russell physically and mentally abused you. you say he screamed at you, forced to take a lie detector test, fingerprints, and he hit you. you have a daughter kennedy and you tried to shield her from the abuse when russell was alive. you had a story similar when you were 2. now that you've written about it, she'll be able to read the details as she gets older. are you worried about the um path on that a-- impact on that?

>> of course. i experienced it as a child. we brushed it under the carpet. i'm psychology 101. i experienced it as a child and i married it. as much as i love him, i can't let that happen to kennedy. we're going to talk about it. even though her daddy loved her so much and i loved him, it wasn't right. our marriage wasn't healthy. >> you say or you credit being on the show with your ability to being able to leave russell in the first place. looking back, any regrets as far as getting involves with the housewives series and how your life has dramatically changed since then? >> you know, if i could -- if i had a crystal ball and i could look back and it would have made a difference in the state of my husband, if i could have him here, i'd give up everything. but i have no way of knowing that. i do thing by the grace of god i'm sitting here today. typically these things happen in murder/suicide where this gentleman took his children's lives. you know, i'm thankful to be here and i'm going keep talking

about it until something changes. >> taylor armstrong, we appreciate you stopping by. thanks so much. once again the book is called "hiding from reality." we're back in a moment. first this is "today" on nbc.

welcome back. the duchess of cambridge, formerly kate middleton is known for her faxes as most of her outfits have become instant sellouts. it's a phenomenon known as the duchess effect. we have the details. error she is one of the most photographed women in the world. those who admire the duchess of cambridge say her look is classy, understated and elegant. for those who don't, she's conservative, safe, and simple. but women the world over agree they love the kate look and they want it for themselves.

it's been called the duchess effect, words that have topped the list of the most powerful fax buzz words of the year. >> it has been said that kate has a billion-dollar effect on the economy. that's because she's helped to promote not only british luxury brands but brands across the world. >> reporter: it all started with this dress at the announcement of her engagement to prince william. royal blue for the royal to be. nearly $800 and sold out in the flash of a camera. from alexander mcqueen to die an voss tenburg, designers only hope kate pilks their clothes. but kate looks off the rack. she wore this dress to meet the obamas at buckingham palace. she wore the same label for her engagement photo. profits have doubled. they thank the duchess effect. >> we've had so much interest in the dress, press-wise, constable size. >> reporter: and those shoots,

kate's nude pumps starting a footwear frenzy. >> all of a sudden women are wearing nude pumps on the street. now you see them in the winter with black tights which doesn't necessarily works. >> reporter: no. kate credits nude pantyhose which she is credited for bringing back into fashion. this dress sold for 100 bucks. you guessed it. sold in a few hours. it's compiled by global language monitor in texas, and this year lady gaga has fallen off. but the duchess does have competition from her sister. a number five on the fashion buzz word list is pippa's bum. the middleton sisters are proving that i are a fashion force to be reckoned with. still ahead on "today," one woman's bizarre plot to kill a teenaged mother so her daughter could win a spot on the squad.

plus, las vegas surveillance, if you think no one is watching you in a casino. thing again. it just wouldn't go away. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia, thought to be the result of overactive nerves that cause chronic widespread pain. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. i learned lyrica can provide significant relief from fibromyalgia pain. and for some people, it can work in as early as the first week of treatment. so now i can plan my days and accomplish more. lyrica is not for everyone. lyrica may cause serious allergic reactions or suicidal thoughts or actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior, or any swelling or affected breathing or skin, or changes in eyesight, including blurry vision or muscle pain with fever or tired feeling. common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain, and swelling of hands, legs and feet. don't drink alcohol while taking lyrica. don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. with less pain, i'm feeling better now that i've found lyrica. ask your doctor if lyrica is right

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the time is 8:25. here is a look at our top stories for you this morning. days after a lapped mark set -- days after a landmark settlement deal in the home foreclosure crisis a settlement has been reached with the nation's five largest mortgage servicers. that money is available for home owners seeking relief, refinancing, and also for payments to those whose homes have already been foreclosed upon. >> greatly stressed. everyone who called had a story about what happened and what they were experiencing. they were excited that there was something or someone they could call and get some type of assistance. >> if you are seeking information about the settlement or you need help to stop a foreclosure, you are urged to call the state attorney attorney -- attorney general's office. >> mayor stephanie rawlings-blake said the city will enter into a five-year agreement with the motor sports

to bring racing engagements to downtown baltimore from this year through the year 2016. they canceled their previous contract after the company failed to pay their debts to investors, the city, and the state. >> congressman elijah cummings has been honored for his work with civil rights. he was given the service award from the center for african-american culture. that award was presented by ken almond. the congressman is a ranking member of the house committee on

>> good morning. we have had snow overnight. kind of a wet snow. most of it up to our northwest or northeast closer to the pennsylvania line where an inch or maybe a little more than that has fallen. around the city half an inch or less. a mix of precipitation has been the dominant feature south of baltimore. that first batch of precipitation is moving out of the picture. the second batch ahead of this cold front comes in this afternoon in the form of snow showers. it will start to get windy as that front is going through. temperatures will fall off as cold air starts to filter into the region. our forecast today, snow-rain mix moving out of the region. snow showers this afternoon. generally 1 to 2 inches accumulation or perhaps more than that by the end of the whole thing. 36 to 41 the high. winds pick up to 25 miles per hour in the northwest. a winter weather advisory in effect. the northern tier of maryland counties in maryland until 7:00 this evening.

baltimore city is not included in that. nor is howard county nor anne arundel county. here is the seven-day forecast. a blustery cold day tomorrow. we warm up next week with temperatures in the 40's. >> thank you for joining us. stat sat -- "11 news saturday morning" starts in just 25 we're back on this saturday morning, february 11th, 2012. it's a cold morning with some snow here in new york city. we have a great crowd, which i noticed is shrinking, let's be honest. we want to thank them for joining us and keeping us warm this morning. i'm amy robach along with lester holt. still to come this half hour, the secrets of a las vegas casino. >> you talk about your reality tv, they've got more cameras anded monitors than we do in our studio, watching every move the gamblers do and trying to make sure everybody plays by the

rules. >> if you walk into any casino in las vegas, know that you're being recorded. >> just smile. >> yes, exactly. and then the call of the wild. we're getting you don't know too much about these. look aet this colorful bird. he's giving a little flying demonstration. he ooh going to fly on your head later on, right, lester? >> i hope he isn't going to do what he did in the studio a few moments ago. >> he should be wearing a diaper, let's say that. and a kangaroo with a pouch. first mike bettes is with us outside. he's got another check of the weather. >> good morning out here. we've got faithful out here. enjoy the lid. that's a nice warm lid. >> have you been expecting the snow? >> quite cold. we've been expecting it since 5:00 this morning. >> you've got to go inside and get some hot chocolate. for a lot of you, it's the cold. it's happening across the ohio valley right into the east,

right down into mountains of east tennessee and western north carolina. it's is that pesky front coming on through, even in the mountains of west virginia. we're talking a foot of snow. light accumulations for you including here in new york city. it gets cold as we go through the weekend across mump of the country, including the south. if you want showers, snow, >> the early morning picture over the city, light snow, haze, a little fog on the eastern shore. some snow showers. our highs will be in the upper 30's to near 40.

ant don't forget, away from your tv you can always check the forecast at weather.com. now here's amy. >> mike, thank you. now to the case of the texas cheerleader mom. 20 years ago wanda tried to kill the mother of her daughter's cheerleading rival. we'll hear more about that in just a moment. but first nbc'smy shell franzen takes a look back at the saga that captured the nation's attention. >> at the end of the day, what's worth fighting over -- >> reporter: before reality tv celebrities gone bad was the headlines around the nation. the trial of texas cheerleader mom wanda holloway charged in a murder-for-hire plot to kill the mother of her daughter's junior high school rival. the bizarre case became the inspiration for two tv movies including this one for hbo, starting holy hunter as the so-called pom-pom mom. >> i'm going downhill, aren't i?

the things do you for your kids. >> reporter: holloway was determined to have her daughter wince a team continued spot on the cheerleading squad. and her neighbor and daughter were standing in the way. >> we, the jury, find the defendant wanda a. holloway guilty. >> reporter: she was convicted of solicitation of capital murder in 1991 but her case was overturned after it was discovered that one of the jurors was on probation. once charged again, holloway pleaded no contest and served six months of a ten-year sentence. a deadly scheme that shattered a family and stunned a small texas community. for "today," michelle franzen, nbc news, new york. >> nancy jeffrey is a senior editor for "people" magazine. she joins us this morning. good morning, nancy. >> good morning. >> so it's been 20 years since this all happened. and jenna's now a teacher. she's a wife, a mother as well. you spoke with her. why did she choose to tell her

story now? >> well, we had been curious about what had happened to her, and people reached out to her. and after many years of suffering in silence, she had begun journaling to deal with her painful feelings and finally was ready to tell her story. >> and i know that obviously we showed there, there was a media firestorm surrounding her, her mother, her family when this all happened. two movies made, the one we saw with holy hunter starring as her mother, wanda. is telling her story a way to respond to that, to tell it from her side? >> it is a way to set the record straight. one thing that would surprise people, she and amber had been friends. they used to play as children. and she did not feel a great rivalry toward amber. it was her mother's obsession, not hers? and hue did her mother's reactions affect her emotionally. i cannot imagine how you process that as a teen girl. >> well, as you can imagine,

teens are affected by the slieftest embarrassment. when she felt at the center of the drama, it made her world fall apart. she was devastated. >> there was an interesting response she had to it all? fwha would you say was her most interesting way to reacting to it? >> there were several interesting things. one thing was that she and her mother never spoke of ichlt she put on a happy face for family, but inside she was suffering. she began to have intense stomach pains, she would break out in rashes, she would lock herself in the bathroom and cry. and nothing interesting thing is she and amber remained at the same school. >> oh, my gosh. >> in the same school, in the same honors classes, and while shanna tells people that kids were not outright cruel to her, there were these painful moments. for example, when she could. be invited to a party because amber was there. and friends who knew her at the time tell people she went from being an outgoing lively bubbly school girl to a withdrawn sad

person. >> i mean it's only imaginable just to see how you would deal with that as a teenager going back to the same school. okay. so her mom -- they never spoke about it. let's fast forward now 20 year. do they talk about it now? do they talk to each other? what's their relationship like? >> right. so for years they never talked about it. there has been healing because wanda and shanna do live near each other, and wanda, shanna tells "people" has become a real active and helpful grandmother to her own young sons. that's brought them closer. and she tells us recently she did ask her mother, why, why did you do this. and shanna tells "people" that her mother says i don't know. i wish i didn't. i just doan know. and shanna tells "people" eventually you have to accept that and move on. >> and change how you raise your children and learn from what happened. >> she said she never pushes. >> makes sense. nancy jeffrey, thanks so much. we appreciate it.

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this morning on secrets of las vegas casinos. when it comes to losing money, casinos leave little to luck. they won't gamble when it comes to security, and surveillance is the name of the game when it comes to catching a cheat. ♪ >> for as long as there have been casinos in las vegas, there have been attempts to turn the tables on the house and leave the casino a few dollars or even millions poorer. >> the day after tomorrow, gentlemen, we'll be in las vegas. >> the most famous heist in the history of vegas casinos were perpetrated by frank sinatra and george clooney. >> but hollywood version is far different from reality. >> the reality is it's mostly very anonymous-looking people who manage to skirt around the cameras. >> security is the first line of defense at any casino, but it's

high-tech cameras like this one that can catch anyone anywhere on the casino floor. >> we want to protect these games like they've never been protected before. >> ted whiting is the head of surveillance at the aura hotel and casino. >> there's a lot of security going on. >> we have over 1,100 just on this casino floor. >> opened in 2009, it boasts one of the most state-of-the-art surveillance systems in the world. >> these cameras are capable of 18 times zoom. we also have hd cameras, 360-degree cameras. >> the floor is monitored in aurilia's bunker like camera room. >> if somebody's hand never moves off the table and he puts a hand in it, that's suspicious because it's called card mucking. >> the surveillance operators who must be well versed in every game work in eight-hour shifts around the clock. and use pan-tilt zoom cameras to hone in on suspicious activity.

>> what the operators do here is they respond to calls both from the pit and things they're looking for. if they finding a person walking too quickly through a casino, they follow them. >> what is that exactly? >> every place the casino thorough fairs, walkways get skinny, we put a camera there. the idea is we catch people's faces as they come through. >> so if you leave a table, you going to have to walk down one of these choke points and you'll get caught on camera. >> exactly. for a regular guest it means nothing. but if you're a cheat, it means everything, because we're going to identify you. >> aurilia's system is so state of the art the u.s. government is keeping a close eye. >> i have a lot of government agents come through here and look at what we've done from secret service to homeland security. >> one of the reasons why th they've upped the surveillance is because of this guy. >> we've had a real effect on las vegas.

>> he was a on a card counting team that scored millions at the blackjack tables during the 1990s. >> here's the mgm grand. this was our favorite casino to play. we won our most money here, well over a million dollars. >> how long did it take you to make that kind of money? >> we had a really good run for six years playing at all the different properties, and i guess by the time it was all done, we had won -- i don't like to give out too detailed information, but we had won well over $10 million. >> but the casinos caught onto him and his teammates and under nebras nevada law they have the right to ban player thansd did that to the m.i.t. gamblers. >> see this palace? i was escorted out. >> we create add procedure to stop them. >> that procedure, information sharing. >> all these people who trespassed over the years, we

know who they are. >> nowadays they have databases filled with thousands of faces of people who are no longer welcome to gamble there and that information is shared. but you don't have to be the newest or biggest casino on the strip to catch a cheat. this historic el cortez, a smaller property, is a good example. >> the smaller casino might be perceived as easy pickings, but the challenges are similar. >> the el cortez has more than 500 cameras on floor as well as a holding cell for possible offenders. but regardless of how much surveillance is in place, insiders agree, nothing beats a good eye. >> all the cameras aren't as good as smart people working on the floor. >> who are making sure that what happens at the casino stays at the casino. and the hardest game they say to surveil is back ler raut. good thing. i don't know how to play it.

do you? we should mention mike aponte is on the other side of the blackjack table. he's a coach and a consultant for the gaming industry. if his story sounds familiar you might remember the best-selling book "bringing down the house," and it was made into a movie called "21." he's not allowed to step into casinos. >> they didn't break the law but they were too smart. but when they find people that they suspect do they kick them out or arrest them? >> they arrest them. they have a holding cell, call police and they usually press charges. . going up next, today's call of the wild. look at that. we're up close and personal with unusual creatures from around the world. but first this is "today" on nbc.

this morning on "today's" call of the wild, many we have

never seen or heard from. >> that right. julia is here to tell us about them. good morning. >> you have a long way to to top the 600-pound bear. >> i know, but everybody's heard of bear. we have animal this morn ing. i'm going go ahead and pick him up. you will see an animal that very few people have seen. >> julie, where's the face on that animal? >> i know. isn't that strange? he's out here in front. he's kind of looking down in front. >> that's his eye. >> yeah, and his nose. there you go. he's got an adorable face. this little guile is about a year old right now, and what makes him most unusual is the fact that they're one of egg ling mammal. >> they go into a pouch then? >> that's exactly right. the female creates kind of a

fold in her skin where she has the place, more of a reptilian-like egg, very small like the size of grape. she places it kapd of like the fold of her skin and in the next ten days until it happens and she takes care of it down there. her mammary glands are very different as well. >> i hear they have an unusual mating writual as well. >> that's right. >> dare we ask? >> it's not very often that these guys go through their season, so to speak, but when it happens, the males have to follow the fee mail around for up to six weeks. any male that senses it, oh, there's a female, i'm going to get in line. >> the love train. >> she only picks one. >> lou vandross playing in the background. by the way, i saw you touching ichlt it looks like a porcupine. >> they're still a little bit different. they're still pokey and i would -- i put this here, too, to show he does find spots where he knows if he goes in there and

hunkers down, not too many other animals will know. >> let's bring in our next animal. i was saying the other day we haven't had a hyrex on this show. >> i know. we've robbed the unusual animals because most people don't get a chance to see animal loosic this. and at busch gardens, all of our guests actually do. >> he's like a big groundhog. >> do not touch the front of him. >> okay. >> he's a jump sneer what did we do with his food? we've got it around here somewhere. >> he wants it, we know that. you say they have a difficult time hiding from predator. he looks like he's a fast one. >> he is. but he lives on rocky outcroppings in africa, so they basically are on the sheer rock cliff. they can scale almost vertically up rocks and all that, but it does allow them to be or make them a little bit vulnerable because they're on these rock cliffs and there's birds and prey and snakes. >> are they on the endangered

species list? >> no. there are many of them in afr a africa. they all have warning cries as well which actually sounds like a screaming woman if they're doing the warnings. they're vegetarian, so he's eating a lot of vegetables there. we're going go ahead and give him a few more. >> in the meantime we have someone who's very excited about being on tv because he's been listening to them all morning. >> that's exactly right. we're going to go ahead and introduce him to you guys by having him fly to one of you, all right? >> all right. >> who warns to catch a horn bell. come on over here. amy, all right. what i'm going to do is have you put this -- leave your hand open like that, and we're going to have tufts come over here. tufts. good job. that's awesome. >> oh, my god. that feels so scary. >> we're going to let you feed him. keep your hand open like that. don't make him reach for it

otherwise amy has to pay for it. >> i already did. thanks, lester. >> he looks prehistoric. what's the deal? >> you know what? they are just amazing birds. you know what? they're so intelligent as well. we have a bowl of food on the floor to try to keep him satisfied. why don't we put him down on the table? >> okay. i'm all right about that. all righty, there. >> glad you wore sleeveless. >> oh, yeah, that was lucky. >> we actually do this with gifts. >> thanks so much for being here. >> everybody can have fun. >> we'll be back. >> great job. >> thank you. >> we'll be back right after these messages. our new ocean spray cran-cherry juice drinks are made with sweet cherries and the crisp, clean taste of our cranberries. i cannot tell a lie. 'tis tasty. okay, george washington, did you take my truck out last night? 'tis tasty. new ocean spray cherry juice drinks,

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plus, jenna gets behind the wheel for a lesson at a top racing school. we'll see you then. i'll see you back here tonight for "nbc nightly news." have a great day. >> good morning. welcome to "11 news saturday morning." i'm kevin -- kerry cavanaugh. >> and i'm jennifer franciotti. let's get right to our big story, which is the winter weather right now. nadia, where are you, and how does it look? >> we are in timonium on york road. right now the snow is not falling. we have a light accumulation, just under an inch. when you look across the street here, under the roads and pafmentse, you -- pavements, you

can see the snow completely melts as it makes contact. many of the roads in our area have slight snow. we have no reports on problems with conditions. a live report coming up. >> thanks, nadia. looks like a light dusting out there. don't need a shovel. >> up next, our coverage of the wintery mix continues. >> as far as the weather is concerned, there is more snow in the forecast. cold and windy conditions. a shot of winter before we turn mild again. >> the governor says do your job. don't put the same sex marriage bill on the shoumed shoulders -- on the shoulders of voters. coming up. >> the pratt free library is

he

>> good morning. welcome to "11 news saturday morning." i'm jennifer franciotti. lisa has the weekend off. >> and i'm kerry cavanaugh. we begin with a check on the weather out there with john collins. >> there was a little slush h