back now with more of "today" on this wednesday morning, the 22nd day of february 2012. it is ash wednesday. it is also a heavenly day this morning here in rockefeller plaza. it is not too cool. a little cool but not too cool. it's expected to be in the mid 50s at some point today. >> and tomorrow. >> i'm outside with carl quintanilla who's in for matt this morning and al roker and savannah guthrie. we are all excited to have everybody here. we'll be talking about back pain coming up. >> millions of americans suffer from it, especially women. we'll talk about things you can do to help with back pain

including maybe lightening our load. we all carry big heavy purses with bricks in them. high heels. there are a lot of things to cause back pain. we'll have good tips for everybody. >> if you want to alleviate strain on your wallet, carl hurt his back falling off of his the other day. we have advice from the money 911 team. whether you are looking for low financing on home furnishings or trying to make the most of your spending accounts to save pretax dollars we'll answer your questions. >> all right. >> also, which celebrity style you would like to copy. ideas? >> slim whitman. >> who's that? >> i'm not a celebrity. >> gosling, yeah. >> americans weighed in on that as well as hollywood heart throbs you would trade your husband for. >> what? no! are we talking about that today? >> ivillage's annual entertainment awards.

>> is it too late to vote? >> i don't want to get in trouble with my husband. you'll call him after the show. it's not going to be good. meantime, we're going to ask natalie for the news coming up this morning. >> good morning, everyone. anti-american protests are raging in afghanistan this morning. it's the second day of demonstrations over the improper disposal of korans at a u.s. military base outside kabul. u.s. officials say the burning of the muslim holy text was inadvertent and apologized. as protests turned violent the u.s. embassy tells nbc news they are on lockdown. the supreme leader of iran said tehran's nuclear course won't be changed regardless of international sanctions or other pressures. he spoke on state television shortly after the u.n. nuclear team declared efforts to get iran to come clean on nuclear intentions have failed. two western journalists, one

american and the other french have been killed this morning in syria while reporting from the besieged city of homs. the american is identified as distinguished war reporter marie colvin. the frenchman is remy olschlick. >> dr. conrad murray is appealing his conviction. some say he would be a flight risk. he was sentenced to four years in jail after being found guilty of using the anesthesia propofol as a sleeping medication for the superstar. in health news, more americans are now dying from hepatitis c than hiv and many of them are unaware they are infected. according to the cdc, about 3.2 million people in the u.s. are infected with the chronic hepatitis c virus that's a leading cause of liver disease and death.

the virus is most prevalent in baby boomers. experts say many could have been infected decades ago and not know it. kate middleton has revealed the name of her new black cocker spaniel to be lupo which is italian for wolf. she let it slip tuesday while visiting a school in oxford. someone has already created a twitter account for his royal dogness where he says he can't contain his excitement over all the attention so watch out for accidents. in case you can't get enough of the duchess of cambridge you're in luck. now there is a spare. an english artist photographed the kate and pippa lookalikes as part of a fashion shoot. she may have the shiny hair and sapphire ring she doesn't have the prince to go with them. it's now four minutes past the hour. now to al for a check of the weather. very much on spot, i think. >> yes. now they have to find the

william and harry lookalikes. for today, your weather. lots of wet stuff and snowy stuff in the pacific northwest. heavy rain moving in. finally starting to slack off. we have high wind watches. high wind warnings and advisories all the way from coastal washington state into parts of millionontana and wyom. wind gusts over 80 miles per hour. snowfall from two to six feet in the northern cascades. also right around vail. they are looking at good snow as well. >> good morning. the mild weather bank will continue. temperatures will be about 10 degrees above average. we have a chance f

♪ somebody call 911 ♪ shorty fire burning on the dance floor ♪ >> time for today's money 911 where you get financial advice from our panel of experts. here to answer your questions, jean chatzky, the author of "money 911." david bach, founder of finish rich.com and the author of "debt free for life" and farnoos farnoosh torabi. good to see you. we'll start off with skype. we've got carla skyping in from st. louis, mo. good morning. >> hi, al. >> what's your question? >> my husband and i just bought a new home. we are looking to buy home furnishings including new furniture and are considering financing instead of paying cash. if we can find interest-free financing options. it seems most stores have 0% financing right now but you have

to sign up for a store credit card. would it be smarter for us to sign up for a new general credit card with a 0% introductory or balance transfer rate or should we siep gn up for the store cre card? we are concerned about the impact on our credit if we open credit at stores where it may be our only purchase in the next few years. >> i like the credit card better than the store credit card. interest rates on store credit cards are typically almost double interest rates on regular credit cards. you can really snag a good 0% credit card right now. what i like better than that and i think these guys would agree is that you live in the house for a while before you go crazy spending money on furniture. you will get hit with a expenses, maintenance, utilities and things you aren't expecting. be conservative. congrats on the house. >> thank you. >> that knock down furniture. nothing wrong with that.

>> craigslist. >> let's head to twitter. so if i tweeted, what's the difference between flex spending accounts versus a health savings account? can they both be a deduction on taxes? >> they can. there is a great alternative for people looking for ways to lower health care costs. there is the flexible spending account and what you can do is this. you can put up to $5,000 in the account. what's great about it is it's tax deductible. what you have to watch for is if you don't use the money by the end of the year, you lose it. it goes back to the employer. so the other alternative is the health savings account. that's for people with a high deductible plan. if you're single and you have a deductible of $2400 you should look at that account. the money rolls over for the next year and continues year after year. it's almost like a retirement account for health savings.

>> what about the taxes? >> it's deductible. go to irs.gov and put in health savings accounts. tons of information. >> back to skype to check in with kim skyping in from phoenix, arizona. good morning. >> good morning, al. >> what's your question? >> i'm trying to repair my credit. i have accessed all my credit reports. the reports seem pretty straightforward but i have a lot of questions regarding them. are there organizations i can access, maybe a nonprofit to help me really read my reports and give me advice as to how to increase my credit score? >> great question. >> great question, kim. congrats on checking your credit report. that's the first and most important step. we should all do it. go to annual credit report.com to get it for free once a year. first some resources. check out the national foundation for credit counseling. find a certified counselor in your area. not only can they help with your credit report and interpreting it but also looking at the

budget, your bills, your debt. a comprehensive plan that's free for you. check your local library. libraries aren't just houses with books anymore. they may have a financial literacy center that's free. you can access that in your free time. also check out free websites online like credit.com, credit karma. we have mentioned them on the show several times. and to boost your score, i haven't seen your report but i guarantee that paying your bills on time and lowering your debt on your credit card bills will be a boost. those two variables alone comprise 50% of your score. good luck to you again. great step checking your reports. >> thank you. >> now we'll hit the phones. john is calling in from minnesota. good morning. >> good morning. >> what's your question? >> thank you for taking the time to field my question. i have read both pro and con regarding this issue. on the surface it seems complicated. here's my question.

what is your opinion of paying off an existing home mortgage versus borrowing more such as with a home equity loan and investing the money in investment grade insurance contracts such as a tax-free investment as suggested by douglas andrews publication "misfortune 101"? >> i don't like it at all. here's why. >> that's simple. >> it's not complicated. don't do it. a lot of people got into trouble by using their houses as atms during the housing bubble. when you pull money out of your house using a home equity loan you put your house on the line. i have a money rule that says your house is a piggy bank, not a cash cow. you want to pay off the mortgage again and again. it becomes a savings account for your retirement. you can trade down into something else. >> the return on paying down your mortgage is guaranteed. if the marriage is 4% and you pay it off it's a 4% return.

if they promise you 4% that's a potential 4%. >> it's not a promise. >> not a guarantee. >> all right. >> so in other words don't touch it with a ten-foot pole. >> exactly. >> that's the advice of the panel. >> jean says don't do it. end of story. >> got it. >> we have a viewer e-mail from jessica from virginia. she writes my husband and i are going to be getting a decent tax return this year. wants to put it into savings which they have been rebuilding since buying their first home. i want to pay off our medical bills and save after. this is the only debt we have. we still have a good chunk for savings after paying off medical bills. what do you think? >> you're in great shape. normally i would say to pay off the debt. $2,000, it will be paid off and you don't have to worried. but there is a lot to be said for keeping your husband happy. if you compromise and put half

the money to paying off half the debt you will be half happy and the rest of the money in savings he'll be happy. it thaes a compromise called marriage. i would go that route. >> marriage counselor. now to patricia on skype from brighton, michigan. good morning. >> good morning. >> what's your question? >> so far bonds have played a minor role in my portfolio. i'm looking to diversify and decrease my volatility from stocks. i'm concerned that the bond market's best days are behind us because interest rates are likely to go up. how and when do i enter the bond market? >> if you're a buy and hold investor don't time the bond market. yes, the market moves inversely to interest rates, prices of bonds go up when interest rates go down. but if you are going to buy and hold for the long term until it expires the volatility interest rate won't impact your return. in other words you're still

going to get back the initial investment and the coupon payments. that's more than we can say for stocks. have some mix of bonds in the portfolio. it's diversification. >> and be patient. thank you, patricia. jean, david, farnoosh. thank you. coming up next, are you one of 5 million women suffering from an aching back? we'll help you straighten things out with tips to alleviate the pain. and then these aren't your average awards. we have all the winners coming up after these messages. [ female announcer ] there's a science to the perfect swisssh. it's about zero weight, 100% more nourishment, hair that's not weighed down. introducing new aqua light from pantene. our lightweight conditioning formula nourishes then rinses clean in seconds, leaving hair perfectly conditioned to swisssh. new aqua light. pantene. hair so healthy it shines. [ woman ] swisssh. here's mine. now you show me yours. come on! swisssh your hair and upload it

on pantene's facebook page. swisssh! [ giggling ] on pantene's facebook page. hi. we're spreading the word about new honey bunches of oats fruit blends and their unique taste combinations. like peach/raspberry. with one flavor in the granola bunch and one on the flake. two flavors. in harmony. honey bunches of oats. make your day bunches better. [ male announcer ] 20,000 btus produce a delicate sear. double-oven range makes dinner and dessert -- at the same time. turbo-charged advantium oven cooks more than twice as fast, in this culinary powerhouse. dan. yes? molé sauce. [ male announcer ] with ge's most advanced cooking technology, the café line takes food further. ♪ are they good? they are really good here. really good? i just have a question. your profile said you were milk...? mm-hmm, yeah, i am. you just...look... like granola.

granola. yeah, i know. [ sighs ] i get that a lot. so, did you -- you know what? this was a mistake. no, wait. please don't go. i'm -- i'm -- i'm kind of into it. [ male announcer ] it's a snack like nothing else. kraft milkbite bars are made with real milk combined with tasty granola. find me in the dairy aisle. please. [ female announcer ] improve the health of your skin with aveeno daily moisturizing lotion. the natural oatmeal formula improves skin's health in one day, with significant improvement in 2 weeks. i found a moisturizer for life. [ female announcer ] only from aveeno. have 46 grams of whole grains... mmmm. ...and a touch of sweetness. you'll be delighted to discover how good they taste.

get your free sample of quaker oatmeal squares on facebook. ♪ everybody hurts this morning on today's health, preventing back pain. according to the centers for disease control and prevention back pain is the most common source of discomfort and women in particular are at risk. dr. raj is a today contributor and contributing editor to women's health magazine. good morning. >> good morning. >> 5 million americans go to the doctor's office every year with back pain, particularly women. >> absolutely. >> why are we vulnerable? >> the back is the support system for the body. women in general tend to carry too many things. i was looking at the sidewalk right now.

the men are walking around, not a care in the world. the women have the purse, shopping bags, lugging kids around. we carry too much weight. >> we do. three common back issues i think that doctors see most often. first is muscle strain, herniated disks and osteoarthritis. starting with muscle strain. >> muscle strain implies a slight tearing or over stretching of back muscles causing stiffness or soreness made worse by sudden movements or a jolting or awkward movement. often gets better on its own, with ice, stretching or anti-inflammatories. >> herniated disk? >> right. the disks in the spine are cushions in between the vertebrae. they help protect it. with aging and other wear and tear it can sometimes bulge out or even rupture. if that rupture or bulge then compresses a nerve that can cause shooting pain in the back sometimes down the leg. sometimes a herniated disk doesn't cause pain. you may not be aware of it.

>> when it does cause pain it's excruciati excruciating. and then osteoarthritis. >> this is part of the general wear and tear of the joints. it happens in the hips, knees, lower back. it causes pain and soreness. >> with all of these you say if you are experiencing back trouble you should go to your doctor's office and make sure you get a thorough check. >> get it checked out especially if you have numbness, tingling, bowel or bladder problems. it could be a sign of something serious. >> there are tips to hopefully help prevent the visit to the doctor's office. you recommend we shape up our core. >> right. >> why are the muscles here so important to ensure that you don't hurt your back? >> you really want to strengthen the muscles that protect your spine including our abdominal muscles and back muscles. yoga and pilates are ways to include core strength in exercise. also low impact aerobic exercise

is important to strengthen muscles in the body. the core is important to make sure it's really maintaining a good cushion for the spine. >> and if you are carrying weight around the middle, a good idea to be fit and strong. >> the more over weight you are, the more pressure on your back. that will lead to pain eventually. >> you say to adjust your work space. what may contribute to the problem? >> so many people are looking at a computer screen for eight hours or more a day. you want to be sure the screen is in the right position. it should be at eye level. your neck should not strain up or down. that will lead to a full curvature of the spine. the spine should be in an s position, not a c. you want lower back support in the chair. keep your feet firmly planted on the ground. no crossing your legs, unlike us. >> no putting your leg under you. that throws you off as well. >> it causes mislimiemt. imagine a straight rod in the back.

stay in that position most of the time. >> next you say to stretch it out. >> stretching is important. especially before and after exercise. everyone should be stretching in the morning, the evening and middle of the day, especially if you are sitting for long periods of time. stretch out your spine. that will help with posture, too. >> and lighten the load. you mentioned we carry a lot of weight with the big purses. >> you don't need all those things. keep a second batch of hair spray or whatever at the office. use a bag that's right. some of the heavy leather bags are heavy. use canvas or faux leather. have it over your stomach like a messenger bag or a backpack style is better. lift with your legs when lifting, not your back. your back should be straight. >> don't bend down. great reminder for us all. thank you. >> thank you. >> still to come, the right clothes to flatter your figure. we'll help you find the perfect fit. first, these messages. [ female announcer ] this is not a prescription.

this is mary. 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 any day in february at any walgreens pharmacy or take care clinic location. and we'll donate $1 to the american heart association as part of the walgreens way to well commitment. walgreens. there's a way to stay well. that's been wrapped in a flaky crust stuffed with a gooey center toasted up all golden brown then given a delicious design? a toaster strudel. pillsbury toaster strudel. so delicious...so fun. he's also a masseuse. ♪ these are reinvented curtains. they are made of pizza. the reinvented dmv. it's a little nicer.

next! [ male announcer ] and this is the reinvented camry. with available streaming music, a newly refined interior and class leading mpg. from toyota. that's why there's crest pro-health clinical gum protection. it helps eliminate plaque at the gum line, helping prevent gingivitis. it's even clinically proven to help reverse it in just 4 weeks. crest pro-health clinical gum protection. yes. yes. noooo! [ male announcer ] yep, subway broke the 200-calorie breakfast barrier. with delicious fresh fit mornin' melt breakfast sandwiches. subway. eat fresh.

mornin' melt breakfast sandwiches. hi. we're spreading the word about new honey bunches of oats fruit blends and their unique taste combinations. like peach/raspberry. with one flavor in the granola bunch and one on the flake. two flavors. in harmony. honey bunches of oats. make your day bunches better.

still ahead, we are rolling out the red carpet for the ivillage entertainment awards. >> and how about a spicy twist? enough about natalie. we're going to today's kitchen. >> first, your local news and weather. [ female announcer ] lactaid milk is easy to digest.

it's real milk full of calcium and vitamin d. and tastes simply delicious. for those of us with lactose intolerance... lactaid® milk. the original 100% lactose-free milk.

>> live, local, latebreaking. this is a wbal-tv 11 news update. >> temperatures are going to be way above average the next couple of days. average high is 47. we will make it into the upper 50s. 20% or 30% chance of rain shower. most of you will have at dry most of you will have at dry

all right. let's put the onion -- >> okay. >> perfect. >> bread crumbs. >> cayenne. wow! oh, excuse me. you scared me. >> you have that effect on people. >> wow. that's paula deen and yours truly at last year's south beach wine & food festival. we'll be there friday with paula. she'll discuss the fallout since she announced her diabetes situation. we'll have other celebrity chefs and a look at the sizzling style of south beach with jill martin, friday on "today." >> how can it be we didn't get our invitations, al? >> i know! and you're cooking. >> for the q.

on thursday. >> we're available. >> come on down. >> you have to butter up mark victor, our 9:00 producer. >> it will be beautiful and sunny there. >> 85 degrees. >> all right. coming up this half hour the oscars are sunday, but we have something perhaps even better. the entertainment awards are unlike any other from the star whose style you most want to steal to the man you would trade your husband for. the ivillage awards had a lot of fun this year. we'll have some of the winners. the guys definitely would trade in the wife for j. lo. >> man, you're going to get me in trouble. >> don't answer, al. >> and it's one of nature's most spectacular light shows in decades. we'll find out why the aurora borealis this year is the brightest in decades. and chef swartz is spicing things up with a brazilian meal that many families have feasted

on last night on the last day of carnivale. we are looking forward to that. first a check of the weather. >> today we will be expecting plenty of sunshine along the eastern seaboard. showers in the interior northeast. a lot of wet weather in the pacific northwest. a risk of storms in the mid mississippi river valley. for tomorrow, a risk of strong storms back through the lower gulf coast. left over snowshowers. cold air makes it to the great lakes. lake effect snowshowers there. sunny and warm from california through the southwest down into texas. >> good morning. this afternoon, we have a chance for a rain shower. kind of like yesterday. it will be a mild. it will be a mild.

>> and that's your latest weather. >> up next, from your favorite reality shows to the most stylish celebrities, the ivillage awards are in right after this. love this stuff. i'm starting to feel a change no longer feeling slow. i can't believe i thought irregularity was my normal. now i don't miss a beat. activia helps with occasional irregularity, when eaten 3 times a day. i knew lisa would love her new normal. ♪ activia love your new normal and introducing silky, fruity activia harvest picks. one more way to enjoy activia. to fill over 200 garbage trucks out of landfills each year? we can, with new glad trash bags, designed to be stronger with less plastic waste.

it's a small change that can make a big difference. and who ordered the yummy cereal? yummy. [ woman ] lower cholesterol. [ man 2 ] yummy. i got that wrong didn't i? [ male announcer ] want great taste and whole grain oats that can help lower cholesterol? honey nut cheerios. [ male announcer ] for a better-looking tomorrow. vicks nyquil cold & flu. the nighttime sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, fever, best sleep you ever got with a cold...medicine. ♪ discover visine® tired eye relief with hydroblend™, only from visine®. just one drop instantly soothes and revives tired, overworked eyes. and comforts them for up to ten hours.

visine® tired eye relief. try now and save $3. absolutely. thank you so much. no problem. man: do your simple return with the turbotax federal free edition, and now get our free, one-on-one, expert tax advice, live by phone or chat. get the federal free edition, at turbotax.com. -three. -one. two. three. one. -two. -three. -one. -two. -three. [ male announcer ] with the bankamericard cash rewards credit card, earn 1% cash back everywhere, every time. 2% back on groceries. and 3% back on gas. automatically. no hoops to jump through. -it's as easy as...1. -two. -three. [ male announcer ] 1, 2, 3 percent cash back for the things you buy most. the bankamericard cash rewards card. apply online or at a bank of america near you. have 46 grams of whole grains... mmmm. ...and a touch of sweetness. you'll be delighted to discover how good they taste. get your free sample of quaker oatmeal squares

on facebook. get your free sample of quaker oatmeal squares hi. we're spreading the word about new honey bunches of oats fruit blends and their unique taste combinations. like peach/raspberry. with one flavor in the granola bunch and one on the flake. two flavors. in harmony. honey bunches of oats. make your day bunches better. ♪ sunlight says get up and go ♪ mountain-grown aroma coming through ♪ ♪ a new challenge waits for you ♪ ♪ ♪ jumpin' into something new ♪ you really see all you can do ♪ ♪ ♪ the best part of wakin' up ♪ is folgers in your cup

and the winner is -- the results of the third annual ivillage entertainment awards are in. if you wonder which hollywood hottie women want to change their husbands for or which star has the best style we have your answers. kelly, good morning to you. >> good morning. >> i like these categories. they are a little different. unorthodox. >> a little bit like move over oscar. instead of the academy doing the voting our community does. talking about the actors, actresses, the shows they have been talking about all year. >> let's talk about the winners, but first how did you. coup with nominees? is it the viewers and those who watch voted for the nominees as well? >> absolutely. our crack entertainment editorial team talked about coming up with eclectic, fun categories. topics and people that our community have been talking about all year long. that made it easy.

>> our first category, trendiest celebrity tot. we have shilo jolie-pitt, suri cruise, kingston rossdale, honor marie warren, liam and stella mcdermott and mason disick. >> the winner --? mason. any kardashian fan knows that's the son of kourtney. she put a post on the blog saying vote for mason. >> she campaigned. >> a little bit. that helped. >> clearly. the next category is the star style you most wanted to steal. we'll put up the nominees. emma stone, blake lively, kardashian, mila kunis, emma watson and kate middleton. >> kate middleton wins over the celebrity princesses. it was close. just a two-point difference

from. the moment she put on her wedding gown to every dress since fashion writers and fans love her style. sometimes it's chic for the red carpet but sometimes she uses clothes that don't break the bank. she wears an affordable dress or coat from an irish or english designer and within minutes it's off the shelf. >> and people can relate to her style and wish they look as good as she does. >> she's very comfortable in her fashion skin. we look forward to what she'll wear next. >> our next category is favorite reality show judging panel. you put some of the top reality shows out there. "american idol" won but it's a close second. >> "the voice" is right on its heels. this is significant. "the voice" is a relative newcomer and "american idol" has been around 11 seasons. an episode of "the voice" topped "american idol" in the coveted 18 to 49 demo which has tv writers saying "american idol"

has been number one for so long but how long can it go and "the voice" is there. >> the judges do have good chemistry. >> christina aguilera, ceelo stone, blake shelton, adam levine. fans are relating to this and it shows. >> saddest tv farewell. one of ours, meredith vieira. also regis, steve carell left "the office," all my children and one life to live and oprah. >> soap opera fans lost two shows and they are upset. their loyalty put soap opera farewells at the top. one life to live one and then all my children. the shows have been around more than 40 years. this was not just tv. they were like family to fans i.'s hard to believe in the age of dvr, but years ago lunch schedules, college schedules, work schedules revolved around the show. many stars started on these

shows. kelly ripa, kyle chandler. this is a launching pad for a lot of celebrities. >> a lot of folks feel like it's the passing of an era. >> it is. fans were hopeful. there was talk that all my children, one life to live may continue on the internet, but it fell through. it's a genre that's gone. >> we have saved the best for last. final category, man you would trade your husband for. >> we love our husbands. but we love this category. >> matt damon, ryan gosling, ryan reynolds, robert pattinson, jason momoa and jason segel. what would you vote for? >> ryan gosling. maybe ryan reynolds. >> the ryans. >> matt damon for me. >> it wasn't even close. robert pattinson with 64% of the vote. he's the leading man from the twilight saga. and the twi-moms, women of all

ages are obsessed. he's won this category every year for three years. the undisputed champion. clearly they are obsessed with him, obsessed with "twilight." he's only 25. some of the moms like that younger man. >> he is cute. kelly wallace, thank you. that was fun. up next, the most spe spectacular display of northern lights in decades. we'll show it to you after these messages. and the cereals your kids love. ♪ now all general mills big g kid cereals have more whole grain than any other ingredient. the same great taste they love in cereals like lucky charms and cinnamon toast crunch with whole grain that they need. just look for the white check, only on general mills big g kid cereals, the delicious way to help them grow up strong. now with more whole grain than any other ingredient. for you today ?

we gave people right off the street a script and had them read it. no, sorry, i can't help you with that. i'm not authorized to access that transaction. that's not in our policy. i will transfer you now. my supervisor is currently not available. would you like to hold ? that department is currently closed. have i helped you with everything you needed ? if your bank doesn't give you knowledgeable customer service 24/7, you need an ally. ally bank. no nonsense. just people sense. with less chronic osteoarthritis pain. imagine living your life with less chronic low back pain. imagine you, with less pain. cymbalta can help. cymbalta is fda-approved to manage chronic musculoskeletal pain. one non-narcotic pill a day, every day, can help reduce this pain. tell your doctor right away if your mood worsens, you have unusual changes in mood or behavior or thoughts of suicide. antidepressants can increase these in children, teens, and young adults. cymbalta is not approved for children under 18. people taking maois or thioridazine

or with uncontrolled glaucoma should not take cymbalta. taking it with nsaids, aspirin, or blood thinners may increase bleeding risk. severe liver problems, some fatal, were reported. signs include abdominal pain and yellowing skin or eyes. tell your doctor about all your medicines, including those for migraine and while on cymbalta, call right away if you have high fever, confusion and stiff muscles or serious allergic skin reactions like blisters, peeling rash, hives, or mouth sores to address possible life-threatening conditions. talk about your alcohol use, liver disease and before you reduce or stop cymbalta. dizziness or fainting may occur upon standing. ask your doctor about cymbalta. imagine you with less pain. cymbalta can help. go to cymbalta.com to learn about a free trial offer. yes. yes. noooo! [ male announcer ] yep, subway broke the 200-calorie breakfast barrier. with delicious fresh fit mornin' melt breakfast sandwiches. subway. eat fresh.

[ female announcer ] gross -- i'll tell you what's really gross: used dishcloths. they can have a history that thy drag around with them. for a cleaner way to clean try bounty extra soft. in this lab demo, one sheet of bounty extra soft leaves this surface 3 times cleaner than a dishcloth. it's super durable too. it's the cleaner way to clean. bring it with bounty extra soft. in the pink pack. and try bounty napkins. sounds like a mini-wheats day to me! and becka's science fair is on the 8th. she's presenting the solar system. hey i've got just the whole grain fiber to help keep her full so she can stay focused. um...you rock. she'll be ready to rock. right here! [ female announcer ] make your kids big days, mini-wheats days. packed with fiber and nearly a day's worth of whole grains kellogg's frosted mini-wheats cereal helps keep your kids full and focused. now available in cinnamon roll flavor. keeps 'em full... keeps 'em focused. keeps 'em full...

when we walk together, we are bigger than cancer. the american cancer society relay for life. find your event at relayforlife.org. in the last month the earth has been subject to a spectacular astronomical phenomenon -- the biggest solar storm in more than six years. >> couple that with a peak in the sun's activity and you have psy psychadelic northern lights. >> michelle kosinski has more from norway this morning. good morning. >> reporter: norway has actually had a mild winter but a jaw-dropping aurora borealis. this is one of the best places on the planet to witness it. you know, nasa predicted that this winter would be the most intense northern lights in half a century. it all depends on the activity of the sun which is on a 12-year cycle. right about now is the peak of

it. our trusty old sun might look the same but the headlines it's been generating -- geomagnetic storm to hit earth. not so comforting. unlike our brand of storm, when a sun storm slams the atmosphere at 5 million miles an hour, just last month, we get this. the majestic aurora announcing itself through twinkling curtains over the upper and lower latitudes. some of the most awesome in the true and popular sense, displayed in decades. bright green, pinks, sweeps and stripes. glowing rings. some of the coolest images have come from space. the violence of a sun burst settling into a glowing crown atop our planet. to see it in person -- >> it's like a painting maybe that moves. >> sometimes it makes me feel

small. i mean, it's so great. it comes from the sun. >> reporter: the sun has been throwing off more charged particles than usual which collide with earth's particles and shoot out photons or light. those are swept along earth's magnetic field and voila. >> the sun is coming out of a period where it's been quiet. but it is entering a more active period. we can expect solar storms multiple times per day. >> reporter: that makes for a lot of electricity up there. scientists just launched a research rocket into the glorious aurora over alaska, more than 200 miles up, to see how it may interfere with our gps. >> turn left, then keep left. >> reporter: if a messed up gps doesn't make you late, staring at the aurora will. a peek we may not get to ooh and aah over for another dozen years. if you think you may want to get

out to see the real thing in person you may have to go somewhere kind of inconvenience for americans. the best places are northern gasoli green land, iceland, norway. but there is now tourism geared specifically toward seeing the northern lights. back to you. >> it looks like it's worth the trip. >> and it comes with that music. >> it's like yani. celestial. >> coming up next, the traditional brazilian meal with a modern twist. first, this is "today" on nbc.

this morning in today's kitchen we are spicing it up with the taste of rio. >> that's after the last day of carnival, brazilians sit down to a savory stew. >> laticia swartz is here to

help us create the traditional meal with modern touches. >> good to see you. >> i'm so happy to be here! >> we're starting with a cocktail. >> this is a cartina. >> to brazil! >> to drinking before 10:00 a.m. >> exactly. delicious. >> what goes into the fedowada. >> it is original from my hometown of rio de janeiro. i feel right at home. i grew up eating this. it is a black bean stew with different meats cooked inside. >> to different meats! >> we'll drink to that. >> usually this is what you see in brazil. >> right. what i love so much about the dish is it really represents the spirit of brazil. we are a mixture of three different influences -- the portuguese, native indian and african. everything is mixed here together. >> we're going to make an

american version. >> in brazil -- >> it's a pig hoof. >> in brazil we use a wide variety of cuts. but this dish allows you to be very creative. so you can stay in the land of familiar cuts as well. there we have ox tail, pigs' feet, sausages, you name it. here we have pancetta, chuck and chorizo. we are browning the meats here. we are then going to add the vegetables. can can you add them for me, al? >> what vegetables do you have? onion, skal lons, celery, red onion. >> all those. >> exactly. >> then you want to scrape the pan to get the bits. >> off the bottom. >> then add nutmeg, kacayenne a the star of the dish, the black

beans. >> did you presoak? these are dried? >> dried and we cooked it and save all the water. that's the soul of the dish. >> when i make beans i usually use canned beans which work as well, right? >> you can. but something we do in brazil, a little trick is we use a pressure cooker. >> that's the way my mom makes this. >> big time saver. then you return the meats. then you want to cook until it's -- you know, slow for two or three hours. >> on the stove top or in the oven. >> either one. we cooked here on the stove top. >> cover it, let it go for three hours or so. >> and if you have any questions or comments, feel free to get in touch with me at cheflaticia.com. i love to connect with people. >> looks delicious. >> let's transfer. >> you serve it over white rice. >> collard greens in brazil,

orange segments. >> nice. >> let me give you some to taste. >> you're not wearing shoes. >> no shoes in the kitchen! >> i didn't want to be so tall today. don't out me, al roker. you're the worst. >> want rice, guys? >> and you also serve it with collard greens which is something common in brazil, too. >> right. you don't have to go to brazil to cook this. everything is available right here. >> what's for dessert? >> a typical dessert we do is called fugine de lece. it's a brazilian flan and we use sweetened condensed milk. >> thank you so much. recipes on the website. today.com. >> still ahead, kathie lee and hoda. >> and fashions that flatter your figure. firs