back now with more of "today" on this thursday morning, it's the 23rd day of february, 2012. hard to believe that we're in the dead of winter right now. because, boy, we're expecting another unseasonably warm day here in the big apple. it's pretty outside and we've got a lot of nice people to visit with us on our plaza. meantime, i'm ann curry, along with carl kiquintanilla in for matt this morning, we've got al roker and savannah guthrie. coming up, we'll be talking

about today's professionals, they've got a lot to talk about. >> a lot of hot topics, including religion and politics, that's two hot topics. how it's been a part of the republican campaign for a president and whether it should be or not. and we'll talk about some health news, there's a weight loss drug that claims it can help you lose 10% of your body weight. provisional approval, the fda has to weigh in and our panel will weigh in. there are some health risks associated with it. >> weigh in? >> ah! >> second mortgages have always been a popular source of income for cash-strapped homeowners. but these days, a lot harder to get one. we'll have tips to help you navigate the new market realities and secure some probably much-needed extra cash. >> that's important, okay? >> this is the time of year where you're going to start seeing department stores give a winter white sale. if you want to step up the style in the bedroom, we're going to show you how to get the best deals on linens, sheets, comforters to create your own

relaxing retreat. >> good. okay. good things, sales are always good. meantime, it is time for the news. that's right, we're going to go inside -- >> it is! exactly. >> thank you, ann, good morning, everyone, we begin with serious news right now, seven u.s. marines were killed overnight when their two helicopters collided near yuma, arizona, there were no survivors, the marines were from the third marine air wing based at miramar, in southern california. the cause of the crash is under investigation, but they were conducting a training exercise at the time. president obama has apologized for an incident in which korans were burned at an american air base near kabul. thousands have taken to the streets, outraged by the improper disposal of islamic religious texts. officials tell nbc news that two american nato service members have been killed in retaliation as a third day of violence and protests rages on.

meantime in baghdad, one of the deadliest days there since the end of the u.s. combat mission. as a series of bombings and shootings have killed at least 60 people today. most of the attacks this morning appear to target police. a virginia jury is recommending that college lacrosse player, george huguely, should serve 25 years in prison for the second-degree murder of his ex-girlfriend, yeardley love. huguely was found guilty last night in love's killing. prosecutors said he beat her to death in a drunken rage. huguely faces formal sentencing in april. and we'll have more on this story coming up in a live report. an 8-year-old girl is clinging to life today, in washington state after she was shot in her elementary school classroom. police say amina bowman was accidentally shot by a classmate who had brought a gun to school. officials say the gun was concealed in a child's backpack. and unintentionally went off. the third grader is now in critical condition. the murder trial of a georgia man accused of gunning down a harvard-educated father of two outside a day care center

resumes today. nbc's thanh truong is in decatur, georgia, good morning. >> hey, natalie, good morning to you. so far, both the prosecution and the defense have put the full-court press on the victim's wife. scrutinizing her relationship with the defendant. >> on day two of the murder trial, andrea snyderman testified that just over a month after her husband, rusty's murder, she suspected her boss at ge was the killer. prosecutors asked why she didn't tell police about her suspicions. >> you never told them on january 4th, i know who it is. why were you protecting the defendant? >> i was not. >> why didn't you mention his name? >> have you seen what's happened to my life? >> prosecutors and the defense both maintain that snyderman and neumann were having an affair. and that led to rusty's murder. she insists newman was obsessed with her, but denies anything sexual.

>> there was no reciprocation of any feelings. >> but this bartender testify she'd saw the two groping and kissing each other just a few months before the murder. >> he had his hands on her on her rear end and she was hugging him. and they looked like a couple. >> and next up, newman's real estate broker turned confidante, melody white. she revealed what newman told to her about a business trip he took with snyderman. >> he said they laid on the bed and cuddled and did just about everything but have intercourse. >> white said newman seemed normal. a stark contrast to the defense's portrayal of a delusional defendant who has pled not guilty by reason of insanity. and one controlled by a demon in the form of barry white and an angel looking like olivia newton-john. >> has he spoken to you about any dilution s delusions he had

having? >> no. >> near the end of the day, another witness testified how newman bought the murder weapon from him and gave him money to keep quiet about it. this cat will tell you when you're done petting him. this kitten just apparently can't get enough attention and if you dare to ignore him, he won't let you forget about it. this video has wrapped up 1.3 million hits since it was posted just a couple of days ago. hopefully that's enough attention for the feline and this attention we're giving it awell. very cute. it is now six minutes past the hour. some more, please? let's go out to al for a check of your weather. awww. >> natalie, i have to do the same thing with our camera man, i have to -- and then he pets me. >> it works! >> prrrrr. thanks so much. hi! >> hi. >> where you guys from? >> buffalo. >> buffalo, all right. shuffle off to buffalo.

>> my mom's tummy. you're from your mom's tummy. very good. how do you get to carnegie hall? practice! i like this kid. we've got a messy storm system making its way from the plains in the midwest, it will cut a swath across from iowa, chicago, on into detroit. cleveland and then eventually new england, including boston. snowfall amounts, generally light, but some areas could be picking up anywhere from six to 12 inches of snow through southern michigan. we are generally looking at about three to six inches across from the plains all the way up into northern new england. >> good morning.ing on aroundng we have a slight chance for a couple of rain showers. otherwise, a mixture of sun and clouds. it will be mild.

and that's your latest weather. savannah? >> all right. now to today's professionals, our panel of power players and today's hot topics. star jones is an attorney and author, donny deutsch is chairman of deutsche incorpor e incorporated and dr. nancy snyderman is new brunswick's chief medical editor. >> before we get to today's topics, serious and family business, star was on "the view" yesterday. i don't want you to say anything, it was her return after six years and clearly star had made a mistake in the past. went on air without telling barbara she was leaving the show, where in reality she had been told her contract wasn't going to be renewed. they ambushed her yesterday. barbara, i've been a big fan of barbara as i see her around town. it was cruel what her and joy, i

felt like i was watching the mean girls in a seventh grade cafeteria, pick on a vulnerable girl. they went at her. she was just like, i want to talk about heart disease -- it's a new life -- it was mean. she took the high road. and i want her to stay on the high road. i don't know if they're doing this for ratings, i think it was cruel and they owe her an apology. i really do. >> thank you for having my back. but i want you to know i got a platform it talk about heart disease and i never get a chance to do that. and i went ahead and did it. >> this is family, i'm here to talk about this. >> the pain on your face watt extraordinarily apparent. that it hurt yesterday and i could see it on your face. >> that was my home. i enjoyed being there. >> sherry, we're not saying anything, joy jumps in and says, we didn't want to talk about your surgery, you don't have to. i don't know if their numbers are down, why they need do do

that, it was really cruel and i think they owe you guys an apology. >> you no he what, donny? i'm a big girl and i know how to take care of myself. and what's most -- >> donny likes to jump in. >> but it's really important for me to have shown the world that i moved on. i'm here i'm doing a job. >> obviously they didn't. mean girls. >> you're with us now. >> yeah! >> i'm sorry. >> that's fine. with that behind us, let's move forward. actually we have a hot topic to talk about, religion and politics. you know the old saying, in this campaign season we're hearing a lot of both. i mean you have rick santorum comments as some people questioning the president's theology. which he has an explanation for that. but then we heard of billy graham's son, franklin gram, questioning mitt romney's faith and the president's faith. the question i put out to you, does religion belong in our political discourse? >> not if people are going to be talking about the relationship

that they have with god or christ or buddha or whomever. i think it's inappropriate for people to bring in their own personal religion in politics. because politics is culture. it's not about christianity. >> you think character has no place in politics? >> character has a place. because it shows judgment or lack thereof. >> but religion is different than relationship. religion is about your affilation with a certain doctrine. relationship religion is about your relationship with god. >> religion, it's the problem in the world. to me everybody has their own faith and god bless. that's part of who somebody is. so it's very hard to tell an electorate, you can keep religion out of it, but talk about relationships. i think it's terrible what they do and they use it divisively but it's part of who somebody is. it's hard to dissect it out. >> it's pushing people's

buttons. it's the is obama still a muslim? you can't trust a mormon. it wasn't that long ago that jack kennedy was a catholic and so, if we don't do it to advance conversations, we do it to throw up roadblocks. >> it's wrong but it's impossible to keep it out of the discussion. >> you may argue that politics, religion doesn't belong in politics. do you think talking about religion in the context of politics hurts religion? does it bother any of you -- >> only when you have somebody who is hypocritical stanting up there and trying to put themselves on the cross. don't use christ in order to something to advance when you know good and well you're not being a christian. >> the anti-obesity pill. a panel of fda advisers has tentatively approved it after rejecting the drug qnexa in the past because of health concerns. >> this is not an fda stamp of approval. it means the committee has said let's get this on the market. it's a combination of two drugs, phentermine and topamax.

doctors have been combining them off-label and helping people, people who are morbidally obese, dropping 10% of their body weight. for some people that's enough to get them out of heart disease problems and diabetes. but it doesn't come as a free ride. there are heart implications. there are sfeide effects. and there's been no medication for next ten years. it is the holy grail in the pharmaceutical industry because we're getting fatter and everybody wants the magic pill. >> there's -- did you think there's not enough urgency -- >> everybody is looking for the magic fix. because we've gotten so much out of control. you know, it can be a pill, it can be surgery. it can be a fad diet. but the long-term effects is really about changing your lifestyle. >> keep your mouth shut. we're a society that doesn't want to pay any consequences. and the down side of having a

pill for everything it allows people for lack of a better word, misbehave. there are a lot of people obviously that have thyroid problems and can't do anything about it. but you walk around disney and you see all of these overweight kids and the parents allowing that. this is something you can control. >> we do, we have become a pill-popping society. it's like i don't worry about it now because there will be something for me later. it's a dangerous philosophy. >> i tried the fen-phen, i tried everything during my obesity time. i was scared that i was doing something to damage my body. everybody was looking for the quick fix. >> and also people have a real medical illness that makes it difficult for them to lose weight. they may need pharmaceutical help. let's move on. would you lie to a friend? an interesting poll on the huffingtonpost.com. to tell a little white lie, 8.2 said never. honesty always is key. and some people think it's okay.

>> it's like when you see somebody who has had plastic surgery, do you say oh my gosh, you look so good? >> what's the difference between a lie and politeness? >> obviously it's a white lie to save somebody's feelings. i think every situation is different. sometimes you need to be brutally honest. because you care about somebody, it's going to be in their best interests. but we've all had white lies, that's being a human being. >> it's being kind. >> like you said to me, it was nice to see me today. >> i meant that. >> but there are some friendships that you know are so safe that if they say -- you know, they ask you a question, they really want you to be honest. not to fib. so we say little white lies all day long and that's part of social nuance. >> if it doesn't hurt anybody, it should be okay. >> not lying about significant things, but just to be polite and get along? i think i'm with the 82%. okay. >> the majority. >> oscars on sunday. want to get your predictions,

leading actor, okay? we have damian ba shmpb ir, george clooney, jean dujardin. >> i happened to see "the descendants" over the weekend, clooney was fantastic. >> i can't believe i'm agreeing with these guys, but clooney, because it was out of the box of what you would have expected. i'm afraid he won't get it. i do believe he should get it. >> he's like supposed to be the nicest guy. you talk to anyone on this show when he comes. >> everyone says he's nice. >> a great actor and not bad to look at. >> thanks, guys. coming up, if you're a homeowner who needs extra cash, what you should know before taking out a second mortgage. and then later on, turning your bedroom into a relaxing oasis without spending a lot of money. but first, these messages. metim. what's left behind? [ female announcer ] purifying facial cleanser from neutrogena® naturals. removes 99% of dirt and toxins

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this morning on today's consumer, getting a second mortgage. whether you need extra cash or your home is needing repairs. they're popular source of income for cash-strapped home owners, but in today's market, they're not always easy to come by. cnbc's courtney reagan is here with advice on how to increase your chances of getting one. we're talking about the home equity loans or secondary mortgages. a lot of people don't realize that the lender is paying more for the secondary mortgage, right? >> it's a little riskier for the lender of the secondary mortgage. if you think about it, that first mortgage is the primary lien on your property in case of default or foreclosure. that means the lender gets paid first, if that happens to a secondary lender, like the name suggests, takes a back seat. they get paid second. it means it's a little riskier

for them and they'll increase the interest rate as a result. >> advantages and disadvantages and reasons why people take out a home equity loan. >> it means you are borrowing against the equity in your home. you have to be in a positive collateral position. 12 million home owners aren't right now. they owe more on their homes than what their homes are worth. that's the first thing, you have to have that going for you. if you do, it can be an excellent way to get a lump sum of cash at an interest rate that's lower than what you would pay say on a credit card. the interest can be tax-deductible. that's a good thing. the payment is fixed, you know what it's going to be for the life of the loan and as your home value increases, so, too, does the potential value of that second mortgage that you could take out. but -- it's a second mortgage. that means every month it's a second payment, you have to be accountable for. >> by the way, we should mention the average rate on a $30,000 home equity loan is about 5.94% according to bankrate.com.

so how is the home equity line working now in the housing market the way it is right now? is it available? >> it is and you can get one. the banks want to give you a second mortgage because like i said, they get paid more from that interest rate on the second mortgage than they do on a primary mortgage. but they're going to put you through a really, really tough, strict set of regulations, rules, they're going to go through every piece of financial information, past, present and potentially future. >> speaking of that, let's start with credit scores, very important for you to know your credit score rating in order to be able to qualify, right? >> i want you to get it as close to perfect as you possibly can. you don't want to give them any reason to say no to you. it will be tough to get the second mortgage, tougher than to get the first mortgage. not that it's impossible. >> you start by saying shop around, and look at your primary lender, whoever has your primary mortgage, go to them first and see the rate that they're going to offer you. why? >> certainly, you're a customer of theirs and they don't want do lose you, that secondary mortgage, that's something that they can sell you.

they can make money off of it. they want to give you something competitive so you're compelled to stay with them. >> but still important to shop around. make sure you check the competition, see what the others are offering as well. >> it's not personal, it's business, you may like your current banker, but you want to make sure you get the best structured loan for you. maybe you'll take a higher fee for lower rate. >> and you want to ask for a good faith estimate. >> they're required to give that to you within three days of the application. you get an estimate of the fees and costs associated with the loan, should they approve it for you. >> and most importantly, be sure to crunch the numbers and know you can afford to budget that in. that extra payment. >> a second mortgage can be a wonderful thing, but you have to be able to afford it. default is quite literally risking that roof over your head. >> courtney reagan, as always, great information, thank you. nice to have you here in person. >> thanks, nice to be here. still ahead, soul food favorites with healthy twist in today's kitchen. but first, these messages. this is $100,000.

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. still ahead, creating your dream bedroom for less, show you why now's the time take advantage of all the white sales for the president's day weekend. a lot of people got good deals. >> we'll tell you about that and more right after your local news and weather. to help us with an experiment for the febreze set & refresh. they agreed. [ facilitator ] take a deep breath. what do you smell? there's a freshness. actually it takes me outdoors. apples and pears. sort of a crisp, fresh feeling. it's a friendly environment. [ facilitator ] go ahead and take your blindfold off. [ laughs ] no... [ male announcer ] the febreze set & refresh with scented oils that eliminate odors for 30 days so you can breathe happy, guaranteed. ♪ [ male announcer ] for a bag that grips the can... get glad forceflex. ♪ small change, big difference.

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>> live, local, latebreaking. this is a wbal-tv 11 news update. >> sunshine, a few scattered clouds here and their protectors moving into the 50s. weather is pretty good now. a few sprinkles west in the mountains. this will increase our rain chance is later in the day. basically, sun

the academy awards are this sunday, tomorrow on "today," we'll help you win the office pool with some of our pre-oscar predictions. the real fun will be on monday on "today." ann and al will be covering it all in hollywood, all the academy award glitz and glamour. giving you the hits and misses on the red carpet and the fabulous oscar parties and running down all the winners of the big screen. that's al and ann at the oscars next monday on "today." >> matt, you and i did the gold

b en globes. >> we're getting jealous. >> you were partying too much. coming up in this half hour, young girl, half a world away, she's suffering from one of the rarest conditions in history. it causes excess hair to grow on her face and her body. but her attitude toward life is really uplifting, we'll hear her story, coming up. and then, from yawn to dawn, how to get the bedroom you've always dreamed about, but thought you couldn't afford. we'll see how to take advantage of the winter white sales and get the luxury look for a lot less. >> when you think of southern food, a lot of times you think of flavor and then it means fat and salt and fried and all the stuff we love. we're going to do something different, we're going to spice things up in today's kitchen with soul food favorites with a health twist. >> catfish right there. >> first let's check the weather from mr. roker. >> let's find out what's going to happen for your weekend.

let's check it out. starting with tomorrow, we've got a risk of strong storms along the southeastern atlantic coast. rain up and down the eastern seaboard, snow in new england, rain in the pacific northwest. sunny and mild through the gulf. showers on saturday along the texas gulf coast. more rain and snow in the pacific northwest. lake-effect snowshowers around the great lakes. windy in the northeast, sunny and cool through the north and the southeast, sunday -- sunday, look for more rain in northern florida and southern georgia, mississippi and alabama. snow in the western great lakes and plains, showers along the pacific northwest coast. sunny and mild in texas, a on into the southwest, cool interior sections of new england, california and >> good morning. high temperatures will climb to the middle 60's with a mixture of sun and clouds. we have a chance for a rain shower.

and that's your latest weather. natalie? >> all right, al. thank you. coming up next, a young girl determined to keep an upbeat attitude, despite a rare condition. but first, these messages. what's this? [ male announcer ] quaker oatmeal squares have 46 grams of whole grains... mmmm.

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any bangkok neighborhood. but this is where nat lives, a special child, whose spirit and determination has been an inspiration to her community. 11-year-old supatra sasuphan, nicknamed nat, has a syndrome that gives her excess hair covering her face and parts of her body. a genetic condition so rare that only 50 cases have been documented since the middle ages. she was born with the condition and as a baby, needed two operations just to be able to breathe normally. it's the way i am, she told me. i don't even think about it. the guinness book of records recently named her the world's hairiest girl. an award she says she's proud of. she is self-confident, she works and plays hard, her father told me. we want people to understand, she's a normal little girl. young nat seems to be able to cope with all the attention.

but it hasn't always been that easy. one of her biggest challenges came when she first attended school. initially, she was teased and bullied. many students were frightened of her appearance. but she gradually won them over. and teachers now describe her as one of the most popular and gifted children at school. in times past she proved that she was just like everybody else says her class teacher. she has a reputation for being first to the library in the morning. and for being one of the best players at the word games before class. she likes to sing, dance and to act. teachers describing her as very lively. during our visit, her class was preparing for exams. nat hoping to do well at math, her favorite subject. >> she is very, very good. very good student.

and happy. >> you got an a in math, nat? that was borne out later by the exam results. she always gets such good grades, i'm proud of her, said nat's mother. a sharp mind, she puts to good use among her friends. doctors have tried to remove the hair using laser treatments. but it's always grown back. thicker as she gets older. she says she hopes one day she can be cured. but she's not letting her condition prevent her from planning for the future. she wants to be a doctor. so i can help sick and injured people, she told me. and treat my mom and dad and relatives. and she certainly has the heart and the sheer determination to make that happen. >> what an amazing story, an amazing little girl. they've tried to address it, but laser hair removal hasn't really worked? >> they've tried a number of things and her and her family

are constantly on the lookout for new opportunities, for new possible treatments. but the remarkable thing is, just how spirited and determined she remains, in spite of that condition. >> yeah, how she's come to accept it and her culture has as well. >> it is. that has been something which has been important. thai culture is quite tolerant. and the school she's at is known as a special needs school. but the only special need that she had was to be accepted and of course, that not only has she been accepted. but she's excelled as a student. >> she's an amazing girl and brave as well. ian thanks for bringing us this story. coming up next, how you can save money on a luxurious bedroom oasis. coming up. all over my body. 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 for your fibromyalgia pain.

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try new pure renewal hair care, with balancing seaweed extract. 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. chili's lunch break combos are full of delicious choices, starting at just 6 bucks. choose from savory favorites or our new philly cheesesteak sandwich. layers of shaved steak and grilled peppers served with fries and a tasty soup or salad. chili's lunch break combos. then lead a double life! with new blast flipstick from covergirl. creamy color on one end, shimmery color on the other. so you can flip your look from demure, to daring. new blast flipstick from covergirl. -[ beep ] -15 seconds and counting. [ male announcer ] at kfc we have one mission: and t-10... serve the world's best tasting ccken. 9...8... that's why our whole chicken is delivered fresh. 7... and prepared fresh by real cooks t-5. all systems go. 4... with kfc's world famous secret recipes.

preparation complete... 3... 2...1... taste for yourself why fresh is better. mission accomplished. and now pick up an 8 piece meal with 2 sides and 4 biscuits, just $15.99 at kfc. this morning on today's home, creating a bedroom oasis at a bargain price. now is the perfect time to update your bedroom, since retailers are in the midst of

their traditional winter white sales and sabrina sutter is here to show us a selection of high-priced items with luxurious lower-priced counterparts you can barely tell the difference between the two sometimes. good morning, good to have you here. let's start off with sheets, because sheets can be expensive as you know. but there are so many great alternatives out there. >> everybody wants that hotel bed and you go home, they think that sheets thread count is the only thing that matters, ant it doesn't. manufacturers treat sheets in the store, but once you wash them, it will be done. this sheet is 1200 thread count and it's also $299. it's soft. >> so the lowest thread count is 25.95, and it feels softer. >> you can still get the soft feel, and a good tip is always to iron your sheets. it gets nice and soft and crisp. >> that's a lot of work.

>> but trust me, it's worth it. >> it does feel like a hotel sheet when it's freshly ironed. and also experts also recommend you turn the thermostat down to get a good night's sleep. flannel sheets are a way to regulate the bed temperature, right? >> great for the winter, so nice and soft and cozy. the high end is $120. it's organic. the low end is only $50, a microflannel. it's a little bit rougher than the high end. so depending, everybody -- >> not bad. i'm sure you've washed it a couple of times. >> comforters now of course time to stock up on comforters, they're on sale everywhere. this comforter right here is the higher one, it's how much? $580. 650 fill rate. but this is actually 600 and it's only $100. >> meaning how much down is in there? >> now some people -- >> it is going to be warm. >> but both are medium. it's an all year-round comforter. down alternative is also a great lower-cost version if you have allergies. both are very soft.

>> very soft, yeah. very hard to tell the difference. >> pillows. >> now people spend a lot on their pillows, thinking it will help me get a good night's sleep. do you have to spend a lot? >> you don't have to, the high end is $260, filled with down. this pillow is $80. it's actually filled with polyfill. it feels a little lumpy. i actually slept with this pillow last night. >> you tested it for us? >> yes. and i'm telling you, it was very comfortable. even though it feels a little lumpy, it stayed nice and fluffy all throughout the night. >> very good and much less expensive. >> now you want the perfect lighting in your room as well to create the ambience and you've got almost two identical-looking lamps. >> the key with bedside lamps is you want the bottom of the shade to be about chin lingt when you're sitting up, so it will be on your book, not in your eyes. >> the top finial is decorative, where this one is smaller, but

you get the same look for $175. almost identical. when you do have to finally wake up, you may want to soothe your way into your day, you found two great alarm clocks for us. >> these are all the rage, it wakes you up with light instead of the warning. >> really? does the light really work if your eyes are closed? >> this gets brighter and brighter, it's $159. >> i would so sleep through the light. >> they both have alarms just in case. this has a lot of different radio, the alarm and also you can plug it in. this is battery-powered, just $50, it doesn't have as many settings. >> slippers over here, the nice, soft ugghs, but you found a comparable pair. >> the uggs are suede. >> this is faux suede and the lining is faux as well. >> as you can see the bottom, the soles are a lot thicker. >> these are rubber, too, but they won't last as long.

so $100 versus $15. >> sabrina, we're out of time. the total price comparison of our high bedroom versus the low comparison. it's $2,297.95 the high price, versus $432.83 for the low price, saving you nearly $1900, that's pretty significant. sabrina, good job as always. coming up next, food that's good for your soul and your waistline in today's kitchen. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

this morning in today's kitchen, we're going to spice it up with some southern comfort. >> andrea is putting a healthy twist on some favorite soul food in her new book, "the kitchen diva's diabetic cookbook." good morning. >> good morning. >> we're not going to fry this? >> we're not going to fry it, no. because this is a healthy way of preparing southern classics.

it has a bad reputation, but to make it elegant and company-worthy and very diabetic friendly. >> you're starting with the whole catfish. >> and if you can't find a whole one, you can buy the fillets. and put one fillet on top. we're going to stuff it with aromatics and lemon and onions and rosemary and garlic. and this just adds the flavor to the flesh of the fish. >> no frying involved? >> no frying involved. >> cutting some calories. >> we're cutting a lot of calories, the only dish is only 249 calories, that's two fillets and a half a cup of sauce. >> cayenne? >> paprika. >> the delveiva is here, i got . you do the news and i'll do the cooking. >> talking about putting savannah in her place. i know this, you know that. so we're going to put this on and this helps when you're

baking it in the oven, it gives it a nice color. we use poultry seasoning. and the poultry seasoning is good for any kind of fish, pork, chicken of course. and because it has nutmeg, sage, rosemary, thyme and just delicious. and then we're going to use salt and a little coarse salt helps the skin get a little crisper and we do the same thing on the inside for the purposes of what we going to do today, it's going to be quick. so you got the idea. >> how long does it go in the oven for? >> it ghoes in the oven, eight minutes per inch. so it will be in the oven about 20, 25 minutes. >> now you're going to make a great sauce? >> the onion butter sauce. we've got our oil heating up here. we're going to make your standard sort of sauce mixture, which is your flour. >> a few more unknown seasonings. >> we're using the same

seasonings. >> pacprika. and scallions. and we're going to mix that in there and then we're going to -- >> we only have a minute. >> we're going to put in our vegetable broth and then some lemon juice, it will thicken up. >> it looks like this. and then -- >> you're adding a little butt centre. >> this is whipped butter, half canola, half oil. it's healthier, it's delicious. it finishes it off, nice, smooth, fabulous. >> great taste. >> we'll bring some of this back here. >> look how that looks. >> and then this guarantee you won't have to wash any dishes. this guarantees that. >> you fillet that? >> you can also use fillets. sometimes you can't find the whole fish. the fillets work just fine. >> and on the side, stuffed tomatoes and also a berry cobbler that's very nutritious and using agave. >> angela, thank you so much! coming up, singer nick jonas

hangs out with kathie lee and hoda!