good morning. southern sweep. rick santorum wins the gop primaries in mississippi and alabama and calls for conservatives to unite behind his campaign. with two third place finishes in the south, is mitt romney's iron grip on the nomination slipping away? soaring. stocks post their biggest gains of the year. what's behind the good times on wall street and how long will they last? and slapped down. nicollette sheridan's battery complaint against the creator of kwoez desperate dismissed. is the rest of her case in

kwoez desperate dismissed. is the rest of her case in jeopardy today, march 14, 2012. captions paid for by nbc-universal television good morning. welcome to "today" on a wednesday morning. i'm matt lauer. >> i'm ann curry. it was a big night for rick santorum and the twin wins in the deep south appeared to bolster his claim that he's the preferred choice among the most conservative republicans, matt. >> let's look at the results. rick santorum took 35% of the vote in alabama finishing ahead of newt gingrich and mitt romney. they each picked up 29%. the contest in mississippi was closer. look at the numbers there. 33% for santorum. 31% for gingrich and 30% for romney. romney did pick up a win in the caucuses in hawaii overnight. what does it say about his campaign that he failed again to break through in the south?

without a win on tuesday, why does newt gingrich appear so determined to stay in this race? we're going to break it down straight ahead. >> coming up, the trial of a florida millionaire accused of dui manslaughter in the death of a young man. that trial is under way. it's a case that's been making headlines because the defendant adopted his girlfriend to shield his fortune. just wait until you hear the defense. we're going to have the latest on the story as well. >> you had a chance to sit down with oscar winner george clooney. >> last night, lucky me. in fact, he just returned the same day from a trip to the sudan where he crossed the border illegally, matt, risking his life to expose the atrocities taking life there. he came under fire during a rocket attack, he told us. he walked up on an unexploded bomb. we have a revealing and passionate interview. we begin with rick santorum's key wins in alabama, mississippi and the impact on the presidential race. nbc's peter alexander joins us

here in new york. nice to have you here. >> nice to be finally home. the race has been filled with more twists and turns than even a seasoned veteran can count and we are only past the halfway point. 27 states have now voted. a santorum official said it is just silly of the romney campaign to say the nomination race is wrapped up. in his words, it's just getting started. >> we did it again. [ cheers and applause ] >> reporter: after a southern slugfest, rick santorum took to the stage with a narrow victory in alabama under his belt, only to learn he'd also won mississippi. >> we did? [ cheers and applause ] >> reporter: despite being outspent by newt gingrich and mitt romney, santorum swept the deep south. >> who would have thought in the age of media that we have in this country today that ordinary

folks from across this country can defy the odds day in, day out. >> reporter: santorum stopped short of calling for gingrich to drop out, but insisted his double red state victories make him the party's conservative choice. >> we will compete everywhere. the time is now for conservatives to pull together. >> reporter: gingrich, whose spokesman said dpigingrich had win both states to remain viable, isn't backing down saying he's going to the summer convention. >> i emphasize going to tampa. one of the things proved tonight is that the elite media's effort to convince the nation that mitt romney is inevitable just collapsed. >> reporter: staying away from the south tuesday, romney stumped for votes in missouri and gave no election night speech. on the plane he told me regardless of the outcome, tuesday's primaries are another step toward the 1,144 delegates

needed to become the nominee. >> if the polls are near correct we'll end up with, a third of the delegates. that inches us closer to the magic number. >> reporter: while the math may be in romney's favor, the momentum has clearly shifted. >> for someone who thinks this race is inevitable he's spent a lot of money against me for being inevitable. >> reporter: earlier tuesday romney accused the former pennsylvania senator and his supporters of running dishonest ads. >> senator santorum is desperate and is trying to boost his prospects. frankly, misrepresenting the truth is not a good way of doing that. >> reporter: in the end, santorum overcame gingrich's claim to the south and romney's domination of the air waves earning a key block of the republican party, evangelicals who paused in prayer at his rally. >> people come up and say, i'm praying for you. [ applause ] >> i want to thank you for that.

i want to thank god for giving us the strength to go out there and to be clear in our message and our vision for this country. >> in a race where every delegate matters, both rick santorum and mitt romney head to puerto rico over the next couple of days. one romney aide said only one candidate has won florida, michigan and ohio and that's mitt romney. he has a strong lead but the next state to watch is the state that's the home state of the future opponent, barack obama's home state of illinois where they vote next tuesday. >> peter, thanks. good to have you in new york. david gregory is moderator of "meet the press." chuck todd is our chief white house correspondent and political director. >> good morning. >> david, it's a big day for rick santorum. not unexpected when you consider 80% of the people who voted in alabama and mississippi identify themselves as evangelicals. what did it do for his campaign? >> he is the conservative

alternative to mitt romney. mitt romney is saying it's a math equation. it's not. he's saying to vote with your head and not your heart. the heart of the party is voting with rick santorum. that means romney is not inevitable but santorum isn't winning the electability contest which is about message and about persuading more than conservatives that he can go all the way. >> he said for a front-runner if you keep finishing third, you're not much of a front-runner. how bad of a day was it for mitt romney? >> you finish third and the good news for mitt romney, yesterday morning i told you about the 28-28-28-26 numbers on the other southern states. mitt romney got to 29 in alabama and 30 in mississippi. apparently that's what jeff foxworthy was worth when you concentrated that effort. he is not winning the heart and soul of the republican party. this has always been the challenge.

eight or nine months ago we said mitt romney is the guy that's the favorite for the nomination. nobody was sure how he gets there. with we're still in that place. how does he land the plane? it's not clear. ironically he may win the night on delegates when we finish counting thanks to american samoa but he has a problem with the base of the party. >> david, to newt gingrich. his pitch to the party has been, look, whoever is the nominee, you need the south to win the election and i can win the south. now he's only won south carolina and his home state of georgia. how can he continue to make that pitch? >> i don't know. news flash for him, he's not running against the elite media. they are not on the ballot. we are not on the ballot. he's not winning in the south where he thought he could make a stand. he's getting in the way of rick santorum. mitt romney i think would be happy to help him. i'm not clear on what you can offer him to get out of the

race. it may be that his big donors have to say, we don't want to keep fuelling this. >> chuck, what do you think newt gingrich wants in return for getting out of the race? he says he's going to tampa. there's got to be something he's looking for. >> i think he got into the race looking for respectability again. looking to become a statesman of the party. the incentive to get out would be if staying in would embarrass him and would somehow lower his earning power and lower his standing in the party. i don't know what the incentive is to get out. we saw him fade away before. he rose up here which turned out to be a dead cat bounce in the south, i think. i think he'll end up going into ron paul territory and the voters and media will pass him by. >> guys, thank you very much. after another late night, thank you. it's 7:09. here's ann.

>> wall street is looking to build on the biggest gains of the year today. the dow closed at 13,178 on tuesday. that's the highest level in more than three years. the question is what's behind it and what does it meap fn for yo? we have jim cramer, host of "mad money" joining us. good morning, jim. there was a decision to essentially announce that after looking at the stress test that 15 out of 19 banks passed stress tests. why is this good news? >> they are saying, banks, you are free to lend more. the banks have been constrained by the government about how much they can lend. our banks are in the best shape of the world and the federal reserve is saying, you have our seal of approval. start lending. >> four banks failed including citi corps, a major one. >> they can raise money. if you look at the fed, they are

saying you're not bad banks but you have to go further before you can e reward shareholders. >> getting a lot of pickup is an op-ed by resigning director of goldman sachs who writes the culture of big investment banks hasn't changed since the financial meltdown. he says the banks are putting their interests ahead of the client's. is it possible these banks haven't learned their lessons. >> in full disclosure i started at goldman sachs. that's a devastating statement. they have no idea how rich they are, how much they have. it is shocking that's nothing changed. there is no humility. these people helped bring down the western world. >> he's resigning, not being fired. do you have information to believe what he's saying is not true? >> i don't. i hope it isn't. these were great places where

everybody could go, do well, support their families and create something. it would be terrible if this is the face of banking. >> and did the financial meltdown not teach them a lesson? is there anything that would? >> if this wasn't a wake-up call, i have no idea what will change their behavior? the client is first. that's the way it was when i was at goldman. i hate to think it's just capitalism. this is a shocking piece. everyone has to read it. >> thanks, jim. once again, here's matt. >> now to afghanistan where defense secretary leon panetta arrived to meet with government officials and u.s. troops. it come at a tense time, just days after an army staff sergeant's alleged deadly shooting rampage. richard engel is in kabul. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, matt.

secretary panetta is in southern afghanistan today in helmand province addressing troops. he's expected to deliver a message from president obama to president karzai saying that justice will be done in the case of the alleged shooting in which 16 afghan civilians were killed. we have been told several afghan officials have been shown surveillance video that shows the final moments when the staff sergeant turned himself in at a u.s. base. he's seen putting his weapon on the ground, raising his hands in the air. we have been told by u.s. officials when asked specifically about the shooting he said, i did it. now it's an international incident. defense secretary leon panetta arrives at what could be a low in u.s./afghan relations. he meets with troops, american commanders and president karzai. the two-day trip was previously scheduled but comes after a string of abuses and mistakes by

american forces. in eastern afghanistan, these protesters want the americans out now. on tuesday, they burned a cross and a crude effigy of president obama. so far, afghanistan has not seen the nationwide uproar some u.s. officials fear still could come. >> the united states takes this as seriously as if it was our own citizens and our own children who were murdered. we're heart broken over the loss of innocent life. the killing of innocent civilians is outrageous and unacceptable. it's not who we are as a country. it does not represent our military. >> reporter: president karzai is also trying to make amends. he sent a delegation led by two of his brothers to a memorial for the 16 civilians allegedly killed by the rogue american

sergeant. the delegation was attacked, one afghan soldier killed. the village is in no mood for condolence calls. of 16 victims, 11 were from the family of this tribal elder. the bodies were lined up, swaddled in bed sheets. a tiny corpse in the back of a truck. after the shooting, villagers gathered near kandahar looking for answers. [ speaking in a foreign language ] >> reporter: i am asking the elders, karzai, the ministers that the culprit be handed over to afghanistan and put on trial, says a relative. in kabul, afghans didn't appear to blame all americans. [ speaking in a foreign language ] >> reporter: but the killer should be executed. that is the punishment, said this man. and that could happen. the united states is considering capital murder charmgs thges th carry the death penalty after an american court martial, likely

in afghanistan. what triggered this act is unclear. u.s.fficials say the sergeant was having marital problems and they have reason to believe alcohol may have been involved. matt? >> richard engel in kabul, thank you very much. >> just a devastating story. we have natalie morales at the news desk. good morning. >> good morning, everyone. a strong earthquake measuring 6.8 rattled northern japan this morning, causing minor tidal changes on the pacific coastline but no reported damages or injuries. several towns issued advisories or evacuation orders and a small swell was observed. all tsunami advisories have been lifted. a bus carrying belgian students home from a skiing holiday crashed overnight killing at least 28 people including 22 kids. 24 other children were injured. police say they are investigating what caused the bus to veer directly into a tunnel wall. boston utility workers are

trying to restore power to homes and businesses after a smoky transformer fire erupted near a garage at the back bay hilton hotel. and the brooklyn bridge was closed tuesday night after a barge carrying a crane struck the scaffolding attached to the underside of the bridge. it tore a 20-foot gash but left the historic bridge unharmed. after 244 years the encyclopedia britannica is going out of print. it's now moving into the digital age as the company shifts focus to the online edition. that makes the 32-volume 2010 edition the last published version. and a victory in alaska as dallas seedy won the iditarod

after a 1,000 mile trek across the alaska wilderness. back to ann, matt and al. >> happy birthday to him. thanks, natalie. now a check of the weather from mr. roker. >> we are going to be talking about the pacific northwest where they are getting hit again. also look at the record highs today again. yesterday, we saw temperatures in the 80s, 70s. rochester, minnesota. burlington, vermont. garden city. springfield, missouri, all with records. we have temperatures today from 10 to 30 degrees above normal. minneapolis at 30 degrees above normal. detroit 26 higher. >> good morning.. it will be another beautiful day with temperatures well above average. the average high temperature is in the low 50's. will make it up

that's your latest weather. ann? >> testimony is under way at the dui manslaughter trial of a florida millionaire charged in an accident that killed a 23-year-old driver. it's a case that's received a lot of attention because of an unusual move by the defendant. mark potter is in west palm beach with the latest on the story. good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you, ann. this is the case that drew national attention when the wealthy defendant adopted his 42-year-old girlfriend to protect some of his riches. now john goodman is in the fight of his life. prosecutors say he was drunk and left the scene of a fatal crash but the defense claims he was a

victim. >> the case of state of florida versus goodman. >> reporter: he's charged with dui manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident in which 23-year-old scott wilson was killed by drowning in a canal. in the opening statement the prosecutor said right after speeding through a stop sign and crashing his bently into wilson's car, goodman left the victim to die. >> he hit scott wilson, pushed that hyundai across the street through the dirt and it rolled into the canal upside down. scott wilson didn't die from blunt trauma. he drowned. and what did the defendant do? he walked away. >> reporter: the prosecution says goodman who owns the international polo club in florida had been partying and drinking with friends before getting in his car. >> three hours after this crash the defendant's b.a.c. was .17, more than twice the legal limit.

>> reporter: famed defense attorney roy black offered another explanation. he told the jury the bentley malfunctioned and roared out of control through the stop sign. >> all of the sudden the car surges forward. you see him trying to control this enormously powerful car. unbeknownst to john goodman the throttles that run the fuel into the engine are not working properly. >> reporter: black said at the time of the accident goodman was not drunk and only drank heavily after leaving the scene to find a phone because his cell phone was dead. >> the only pain relief he was able to find comes from a bottle of alcohol. >> reporter: black says goodman didn't abandon wilson. in the dark he didn't know he had been pushed into the canal. he said before calling 911 he called his girlfriend because he was delirious from the accident and hers was the only number he

could remember. last year goodman adopted the 42-year-old to protect some of his wealth. over the weekend it was reported that goodman and the victim's family reached a monetary settlement in the civil case although none of the lawyers is talking about that. in the criminal case here, if convicted of the charges, goodman could face up to 30 years in prison. ann? >> we'll see what happens. mark potter, thank you. just ahead a judge dismisses nicollette sheridan's battery complaint against the creator of "desperate housewives" as closing arguments begin today. first, this is "today" on nbc.

coming up, are your allergies kicking in already because of the early spring temperatures? we'll get you some relief. >> and coming up, george clooney opening up about risking his life on a recent trip to africa after your local news. aft nature

with flavorful spices and breadcrumbs. all to help you make something amazing. ♪ life is amazing with the love that i've ♪ ♪ found ♪ life is amazing with the love that i've ♪ what do you get when you with this weekend?depot the cure for cabin fever. because with get-it-done savings on everything we need... ...we can turn this weekend into a fresh floor... ...or an updated bathroom... ...or a brand-new look. so let's hit those orange aisles, and make today the day, we make a big difference - no matter how big our budget. more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot. lay down a better floor for less. new pergo xp laminate, starts at $2.74 per square foot. light as air. your mood... your step... even your makeup. new revlon® photoready airbrush™ mousse make up. makeup like you've never seen or felt before.

unique air-infused mousse formula blends easily for a smooth, poreless, airbrushed finish. >> this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning, everybody. i am stan stovall. here is a look at one of our top stories. gas prices in maryland are at four-dollar mark, governor o'malley plans to testify before house and senate committees today on his plan to apply a 6% sales tax on gasoline. the maryland transportation authority is reporting a 2%

increase in public transportation use since jan marie of last year. here is sarah caldwell and traffic pulse 11. >> toll plaza in delaware, we have an accident, tractor- trailer involved. want to give you a heads up on that. but i-95, travelers, delays popping up around big area. west side is a slow-go. outer loop parkside around 22 miles per hour. delays fall into place towards the beltway northeast. here is a life of traffic. padonia, coming towards us, southbound traffic, looking as it normally does. once again on to the j.f.x., heading southbound, not bad. looking at a smoother ride from

old court towards the beltway -- rather, the topside of the beltway. >> beautiful start this wednesday morning. 56 degrees at the airport right now. relative humidity at 69%. calm winds it right now. 47 degrees in parkton. cooler towards the pennsylvania line. a forecast for today, outstanding. outstanding.

chocolate lemonade ? susie's lemonade... the movie. or... we make it pink ! with these 4g lte tablets, you can do business at lightning-fast speeds. we'll take all the strawberries, dave. you got it, kid. we have a winner. we're definitely gonna need another one.

small businesses that want to grow use 4g lte technology from verizon. i wonder how she does it. that's why she's the boss. because the small business with the best technology rules. contact the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 1-800-974-6006. why do you risk your life? >> george clooney is no stranger to action on the big screen wu bu in the past few days he's been in dangerous situations for real trying to make a difference for a cause he cares passionately about. we'll have an interview with him coming up in a moment. meantime at 7:30 on this wednesday morning, the 14th of march 2012. i'm ann curry along with matt lauer. it's a beautiful morning in the northeast. >> unbelievable. >> but it comes at a price. are you paying the price? >> a little bit. allergy season is arriving earlier than ever causing millions of americans to suffer

from -- you know the symptoms -- the sneezing, watery eyes. if it's bad now, how much worse will it get and what can you do to get relief? we'll get advice coming up. >> i will give you your tissue now. >> thank you very much. >> is your marriage good or only good enough? we have the results of an interesting new survey. we find out what one couple did to put their relationship to the test. could it work for others of us? we'll find out. we begin this half hour with nicollette sheridan's wrongful termination case heating up in los angeles after a judge dismissed one of the complaints brought by the former "desperate housewives" star. nbc's craig melvin has the latest on the story. good morning. >> reporter: ann, good morning. closing arguments are set to start at 9:30 this morning. yesterday in the courthouse behind me, it had all the makings of a classic "desperate housewives" episode, complete with plot twists and there was even a cliffhanger.

>> why did you have to do this? >> reporter: surprises and sus is pence were once the staples of kw"desperate housewives." what happened in court tuesday could have been easily one of the season ending shockers. >> it was a bombshell. nobody saw it coming. >> reporter: first a mystery witness was revealed. we learned it was longtime staffer michael reinhart who left a voicemail for nicollette sheridan's attorney over the weekend. >> i received an e-mail soon after nicolette filed suit that regarded having i.t. come in to wipe clean the hard drives of the producers in response to correspondence that they have had, e-mailwise, about firing her. >> reporter: reinhart helped build the colorfully suburban set and has been with the show since the beginning. he said he came forward to get the truth out. sheridan's lawyers hoped his testimony would help prove her character was killed off when

she complained executive producer marc cherry hit her in the head. but hollywood reporter inside the courtroom said it didn't go well. the problem was ultimately he wasn't that credible. even he couldn't be sure of exactly what he read and he couldn't remember who it was sent to. he didn't have a copy of it. he had very little detail. then 48-year-old sheridan took the stand and gave a brief version of what she said happened on set. in a trembling voice she said, quote, he was dismissive and he hit me. shortly after her testimony the judge threw out the battery complaint saying there was not enough evidence. >> obviously i'm thrilled by the judge's decision. but i'm going to withhold commentary on this matter until the entire case is revolved. i'm going to lunch now and i'm a happy man. >> reporter: the judge didn't toss the wrongful termination charge. sheridan's lawyers say that was the main focus. >> the case is about being fired

for being hit and complaining at wo work. >> reporter: sheridan often battled the other stars on the show. in this cliffhanger, it's abc and touchstone. answer touchstone dribistribute and airs "desperate housewives." they conducted an investigation and found sheridan was not mistreated. sheridan's lawyers will continue to look at reinhart's hard drive and if they find something, the judge said she could stop closing arguments. >> savannah guthrie is "today's" legal correspondent and star jones. >> good morning. >> with the judge dismissing the battery claim against the creator of the show is he off the hook? >> marc cherry is apparently out of the lawsuit now. in an early version there were several counts against him. with the dropping of the battery

charge he personally is out of the suit. the lawsuit continues. my take, i would be interested to hear what star thinks is this signals the judge doesn't think much of the case. that battery issue is at the heart of it. it's a he said/she said. the judge finds it so lacking in credibility she tosses that out. it makes me feel like she doesn't think much of the case and what jurors who heard the same evidence will think. >> it signals to the jury that the judge discounted all of what they have been hearing thus far as it relates to the battery. marc cherry is part of the case in that his behavior will be evaluated on whether or not abc is ultimately found liable. >> so abc touchstone. >> good news for marc. good news for abc. >> let's talk about the surprise witness that showed up yesterday.

how influential given some of the discrepancies. >> i was really surprised he was allowed to testify without actually having the evidence in front of him. the best evidence is obviously this alleged e-mail. the best evidence would have been a hard drive that showed something had been wiped off. i was surprised that the judge allowed him to testify. except it was a full and complete cross-examination to show that, one, he could be mistake. two, he could have missbre misinterpreted it and three, he doesn't have evidence. >> it was a bombshell that bombed. if he had an e-mail that had abc executives saying, destroy evidence the case would have been over. instead this well-meaning witness said, you know, under cross-examination, maybe it did say save the documents for the lawsuit. in other words the exact opposite of what he thought. it's a wash. >> i know it had nicollette sheridan. it was as if geraldo opened up the tomb again and nothing was

in there. >> ooh, geraldo reference. >> it's come to this. >> closing arguments today. what do we expect? >> you will hear abc touchstone used good judgment and followed the procedures that were set in place for when you are going to terminate an employee. those are the key words. the other side? >> it comes out to the timeline. whether you believe the battery or not. she said she was complained about the battery and was fired. abc executives say the plan was in the works for months to fire her. it comes down to the timeline if jurors believe they were planning to fire her for months. this case is out of court. >> when was it put into place? is when did occur? >> all right. we're going to find out what happened. star, savannah, thank you very much. now a check of the weather from al. >> thank you, ann.

what's your shirt? >> morning star baptist church in jackson, mississippi. >> how many of you are here? >> all of us. >> exact number. all of you. our friends in the pacific northwest, it just keeps getting worse. one low moves on shore another gets ready and an aleutian low for california into the midwest. look at the rain and snow. we are talking about northern california into central california. two to three inches of rain. some areas may get five over the next 48 hours. we are looking at one to three feet of snow the cascades. you could see record highs in the plains today. sunshine along the midatlantic and southeast. northeast as well. >> good morning. the temperatures are way above average. the average high is 53. we'll make it into the mid to

upper 70's. don't forget. get your weather any time of the day or night. go to the weather channel on cable. weather.com online. 100th anniversary of hadassah. [ cheers ] >> still ahead, the latest celebrity split that seemed to come out of nowhere surprising fans. up next, the downside to the warm weather. what you can do to cope with the early arrival of the allergy season after this. what's this? [ male announcer ] quaker oatmeal squares

have 46 grams of whole grains... mmmm. ...and a touch of sweetness. you'll be delighted to discover how good they taste. check out the latest collection of snacks from lean cuisine. creamy spinach artichoke dip, crispy garlic chicken spring rolls. they're this season's must-have accessory. lean cuisine. be culinary chic. [♪usic track "alouette"] they're this season's must-have accessory.

you squashed my willpower like a fly. you looked so innocent and so sweet. convinced my lips that we should meet. you were a relentless flirt. oh no we had indecent dessert. twinkle twinkle hope appears. a stevia leaf erased my fears. it made my willpower a super hero. as for calories, it has zero. twinkle twinkle truvia® star natural sweetness, i love just what you are. truvia. honestly sweet. 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. you know, typical alarm clock. i am so glad to get rid of it. just to be able to wake up in the morning on your own. that's a big accomplishment to me. i don't know how much money i need. but i know that whatever i have

that's what i'm going to live within. ♪ ♪ we're back now at 7:43. this morning on today's health, the early arrival of spring allergies. you may be enjoying the unseasonably warm weather. if you are one of the 45 million americans who suffers from allergies it comes at a price. dr. raj is here with advice on how to cope. she's the contributing medical editor at health magazine. nice to see you. >> nice to see you. >> enjoying the 70s in new york? >> it's wonderful. >> not only have allergy symptoms come early, they are worse this year than ever. why is that? >> as you said, it's warm. so the trees are releasing pollen at higher counts.

people aren't prepared because the trick with allergies is getting the medicine in before the pollen comes out. because this weather came out of nowhere, no one was prepared. they are not medicated and they are feeling the effects. >> you have allergy sufferers praying for a cold snap early in spring. would that change it or is the cat out of the bag already? >> it's too late. once the pollen is released, even if it gets cold it's too late. your body has been triggered to that response. >> for people at home now saying, i don't have allergies, this doesn't effect me you can develop allergies at any age. >> i myself only developed them last year. i never had them before. absolutely. it could come at any time. >> in terms of who's susceptible, who is susceptible to them? >> if you have a family history. if one or both parents have allergies you are more likely to develop them. if you have a food allergy, you're more likely to develop these allergieallergies. >> you have people saying, do i have a cold or am i an allergy

sufferer? the most common symptoms of seasonal allergies are what? >> the runny, itchy nose. itchy, watery eyes. sometimes a scratchy throat. sometimes you get dark circles under your eyes. this can happen with a cold, but a cold lasts for only a week. if it persists, more likely to be an allergy. if it's a fever, it's more likely a cold. >> there are over-the-counter remedies and prescriptions as well. we have some medications on the table. >> you start with over-the-counter. you have the anti-histamine either eye drops or pills you can take. things like claritin and xyrtec. you need to talk about getting tested to determine what you're allergic to. is it tree pollen, grass pollen. what's going on. >> and behavioral things you can do to leave yat symptoms. check the pollen count. limit outdoor activities. keep your house and car windows

closed. not easy. shower and change clothes after being outside. >> the pollen is sticking to your hair, skin, clothes. wash your hair. wash your clothes. wash your bedding and pillows frequently so they are not exposed. >> and save your outdoor activities and exercise for the afternoon. why is that better than morning? >> pollen counts are highest early morning. if you really suffer you may want to leave the gardening and weeding to someone else. >> doctor, good to see you. >> you, too. >> good luck with the allergies. >> thank you. >> coming up, the celebrity couple that announced plans to divorce catching fans by surprise. we'll talk about that right after this. ♪ ♪ ♪

grande caramel macchiato. iced grande caramel macchiato. make that iced. actually, hot, please. [ male announcer ] come into starbucks for the espresso drink you love, hot or iced, and get half off your afternoon espresso with your morning espresso receipt. ♪ quaker oats. in every way, a super grain. ♪ super for the fiber that helps fill us up. super for the energy it gives to get us going. super for the oats that are so good for our hearts. ♪ super for how it makes us... super. quaker oats. energy. fiber. heart health. super people eat super grains.

hi, i just switched jobs, and i want to roll over my old 401(k) into a fidelity ira. man: okay, no problem. it's easy to get started; i can help you with the paperwork. um...this green line just appeared on my floor. yeah, that's fidelity helping you reach your financial goals. could you hold on a second? it's your money. roll over your old 401(k) into a fidelity ira and take control of your personal economy. this is going to be helpful. call or come in today. fidelity investments. turn here. delicious gourmet gravy. and she agrees. with fancy feast gravy lovers, your cat can enjoy the delicious, satisfying taste of gourmet gravy every day. fancy feast. the best ingredient is love. yep! (mom) i'm so proud of you. the bus is here, gotta go mom. okay hunny, have a great day. look in your bag, made you something.

(announcer) it's more than just that great peanut taste, choosing jif is a simple way to show someone how much you care. choosey moms, choose jif. fight both fast with new tums freshers! concentrated relief that goes to work in seconds and freshens breath. new tums freshers. ♪ tum...tum...tum...tum... tums! ♪ [ male announcer ] fast relief, fresh breath, all in a pocket sized pack. ♪ oh, my maltipoo's depressed. but my affordable prius c means i can pay for his acupuncture. whew. i love my pooch. oh no! my homemade sushi... turned p-ushi! use estimated 53 mpg to find a gluten-free alternative. look, this means i'm a chef. [ male announcer ] be a winner with the all-new prius c from toyota. ♪

these days when a hollywood power couple decides to divorce it's not surprising, but the latest celebrity breakup has stunned a lot of their fans. here's nbc's stephanie gosk. >> reporter: they are both teenage pop culture icons, but for different generations. 38-year-old peter facinelli is the father vampire in the twilight saga. >> reporter: 39-year-old jennie garth played kelly taylor in the original "beverly hills 90210" which aired over 20 years ago. during ten seasons of rich kids from beverly high, her character became one of the most beloved. they were, say fans, the perfect hollywood couple. the ones that were supposed to make it. this is facinelli supporting his wife on "dancing with the stars"

in 2007. in a joint statement released tuesday the couple confirms after 11 years they are separating. but they say, we remain dedicated to raising our beautiful daughters together. fans tweeted a steady stream of shock. thought they'd stay married forever. unacceptable! another wrote. another hollywood couple down. so sad. >> it definitely makes people think if they can't make it work in hollywood, nobody can. >> reporter: now they join the ranks of recent splits. ashton and demi, kim and chris, seal and heidi. despite garth's comments to oklahoma magazine fook magazine. i'm not interested in taking the easy way out. divorce is not an option for us. over the years they were seen in public with their three daughters. monday night it was just luka and her father at "the hunger

games". >> my daughter is a huge fan. i'm excited to see it. >> reporter: the divorce comes as garth gets ready to launch a new reality show called "jennie garth little bit country" focusing on her move out of los angeles to a simpler life. >> being out here on my own with the girls is not going to be easy. >> reporter: escaping the pressures of hollywood may take more than just a move to the country. for "today" stephanie gosk, nbc news, los angeles. >> meantime switching gears, we'll hear from george clooney on why he risks his life for the people of the sudan. he's coming back with a powerful story. we'll tell you about that. >> we look forward to that. first, your local news and weather. (bell rings) hi. good morning. big news. we're spreading the word about new honey bunches of oats

fruit blends and their unique taste combinations. like peach/raspberry... and banana/blueberry. we're telling everyone. with one flavor in the granola bunch and one on the flake. try some. mmm! two flavors. in harmony. yummy. four nutritious grains and two big fruit flavors to make your day bunches better. lastin florida we hadulf's best tomore sun tans...years. in alabama we had more beautiful blooms... in mississippi we had more good times...

in louisiana we had more fun on the water. last season we broke all kinds of records down here on the gulf. more people more good times. this year we're out to do even better... and now's a great time to start. the sun's out and the beaches are even more relaxing. you can go deep sea fishing or enjoy our world-class restaurants... our hotels and rentals have special deals for the whole family. go golfing, kite boarding, or build the worlds biggest sand sculpture... with the world's best sand. so come on down to mississippi... get yourself down to louisiana... we'll see you in florida... you know you want to come to alabama. the gulf is america's get-a-way... and we're 100 percent ready to see you. come on down and help make 2012 an even better year for the gulf. brought to you by bp and all of us who call the gulf home. hershey's drops. a lot of hershey's happiness in little drops of milk chocolate.

and cookies n creme. pure hershey's. and i know there's no orange like a tropicana florida orange. the soil and sunshine are just perfect here. tropicana pure premium is made with 100% florida oranges. because the best oranges make the best juice. not gonna need those. come on. let's go, mikey. sandwich boy. what do you mean? [ grunts ] still training. ♪ what'd you get? black forest ham egg & cheese on flatbread... what's next? now i train. [ male announcer ] subway has what michael phelps needs. high-protein favorites to get him started and the turkey breast with kickin' jalapeños to keep him going. subway. the official training restaurant of michael phelps... and jay glazer. hey! and athletes everywhere.

>> this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. time for a check on that morning commute with sarah caldwell and traffic pulse 11. >> still pretty busy on the area roads. a couple of new problems to add to the list. accident on the outer loop at belair road on the northeast side. adding to those delays from belair road to its the harrisburg expressway. these delays stretch back from approaching white marsh all the way down to eastern. if you want to travel in the libertytown, route 75, all lanes

are closed. overturned tractor-trailer causing delays. 20 minutes on the out of the northeast side because of that accident. added volume and there. here is 8 live looked outside for you on the j.f.x. at ruxton road. delays in place from the beltway for its 28th street. we will switch over to a life of traffic at franklin boulevard. that is where your delays start all the way down to the beltway. over to you, tony. >> beautiful start this wednesday morning, and his weather will continue for a while. 57 degrees, if you high, thin, wispy clouds. relative humidity at 69%. in the 40's, pennsylvania line, 49 degrees in rising sun.

sunshine, high temperatures in the mid-to-upper-70's. seven-day forecast, just as warm tomorrow. chances for rain

it's 8:00 now on a wednesday morning. it's the first week of march 2012. if you are living in a part of the country where the weather is not great, prepare to be jealous. we have a day without a cloud in the sky. it is already 62 degrees in new york city. going up to about 70. >> 70 degrees again. chicago will be 77 today. which is great in may, but this is march. >> we have a huge crowd of rolling spring breakers on the plaza. i'm matt lauer along with ann curry and al roker. coming up, we're going to talk about a question a lot of married couples ask -- is our

marriage good or is it just good enough? if it's just good enough what can you do to make it better? we'll learn things from one couple. they have challenged themselves in a way to get beyond just good. we'll see how it worked out. >> and coming up, we'll hear from george clooney. about this time yesterday morning he landed back in the united states, having traveled to sudan where he risked his life to give voice to people suffering because they are being attacked by their own government there. he brought back this videotape and before he left to go to washington, he'll testify this morning before the senate foreign relations committee. he sat down with us to tell us about this passion and why he cares so much. >> that's terrific. one of the greatest actors of our age, robert de niro, will be stopping by. he has a new movie out. he'll tell us about that. and some other things going on. can't wait to see it. >> there is a great story about how he was at one point dressed

up as a homeless guy for the movie. and he was mistaken. people didn't know who he was and he was treated like a homeless guy. >> we'll talk about that with him. natalie has a check of the headlines. >> good morning, everyone. former pennsylvania senator rick santorum says twin victories in the deep south prove he is the republican party's conservative choice for president. santorum swept tuesday's alabama and mississippi primaries. mitt romney finished third behind newt gingrich in both states. romney did win caucuses in hawaii and american samoa. defense secretary leon panetta arrived in afghanistan for a visit. the trip was planned months before sunday's massacre of 16 afghan civilians allegedly by an american soldier. the u.s. military has showed

video of the soldier surrendering as proof he acted alone. the dow rose 218 points on tuesday and the labor department reported the unemployment rate fell in 45 states in january. a sign that nearly all of the country is benefitting from the improving economy. an update now on the 85-year-old restaurant reviewer who has gone viral as we reported on tuesday for her glowing review of an olive garden. she's now in new york on a whirlwind tour and is reviewing some of the finest restaurants. she had her first taste of the classic new york staple, the street cart hot dog. never one to give overly negative reviews, she said the dog could have been hotter but she gave a thumbs-up to the mustard and onion toppings. after all, that makes the dog. now for a look at what's trending today, the quick round-up of what has you talking online. criminals turned liquid tide into liquid gold. it's the top story on today.com. police say thieves are swiping

tide by the basketful because it's easy to resell for quick cash on the streets. abraham lincoln's assassin is the talk of twitter. bobblehead john wilkes booth have been pulled from the shelves. they were right next to his victim, our 16th president. and a blog about a dog who surely eats a balanced diet is being shared. maddie belongs to a photographer who is documenting his travels. he says maddie prefers standing to lying down so he started putting her on top of things. now he puts the pictures on maddieonthings.com. that's quite a pose. now out to matt, ann and al. >> i think she wants a break. >> how do you know if maddie likes that? >> i know. but the pictures are fantastic. meantime -- >> mr. roker. >> thank you very much. we have nice friends here to

tell us about m.s. >> my name is sherry. i'm here to support m.s. awareness week to give information to people who don't know about m.s. will all those who have m.s. say hi? >> we find out more at ms isconnection.org. let's check your weather. evansville, indiana. 14 wfie. season sunny, breezy and 79 degrees. man, what a day. we are talking about much of the eastern two-thirds of the country looking at plenty of sunshine. a lot of wet weather making its way into the pacific northwest, northern california. mountain snows and record highs from the plains down into texas. into the northeast and midatlantic states. leftover snow. picking up two to four inches in maine including caribou. still warmer than normal but dropping temperatures a little bit in the northeast.

whoa, happy birthday. you better have that looked at. that doesn't look good. all right, cincinnati. i like the chili three-way. >> good morning. it will be another beautiful day with temperatures well above average. the average high temperature is in the low 50's. will make it up that's your lat weather, matt? >> thank you very much. when we come back, george clooney talks about a very important issue and his recent harrowing trip to africa. he'll sit down with ann. first, these messages.

is this what we're doing now? i don't want a plunger anywhere near my coffee. not in my house. with maxwell house french roast, you let gravity do the work. [ male announcer ] maxwell house french roast. always good to the last drop.

might seem... ♪ ...impossible. no, no... well how about the purp? ew! ♪ yeah. wow. unless you have eggo® waffles. they're quick and easy to make, and there's something about them... that just makes people move. [ male announcer ] golden crispy outside, warm and fluffy inside. who says breakfast together can't be done? [ male announcer ] eggo® waffles. simply delicious. aflac! ha! isn't major medical enough? huh! no! who's gonna help cover the holes in their plans? aflac! quack! like medical bills they don't pay for? aflac! or help pay the mortgage? quack! or child care? quack! aflaaac! and everyday expenses? huh?! blurlbrlblrlbr!!! [ thlurp! ] aflac! [ male announcer ] help your family stay afloat at aflac.com. plegh!

back with george clooney's mission to bring attention to the atrocities in the sudan. he traveled to the border region between sudan and south sudan where violence has been flaring up. he said he witnessed horrors first hand and got caught up in an attack. we sat down on tuesday hours after his return and i asked if this was his most dangerous trip to date. >> sure. i think you were just there. you would agree that it's gotten heated. so, yeah. it was hairy. there were moments that were dangerous. >> what made it dangerous? >> the randomness of the violence. people are getting killed and hurt a over. there were 39 people in the village we were in in the last month had been killed. 39. 514 injured. 39 killed in a village of 1,000 people. you know, that's just in one village. >> by?

>> by bashir. >> the president of sudan. >> three guys who were charged for war crimes in darfur are the exact same people bombing innocent people. they are living in caves because they are getting bombed. they are getting bombed every day. this is not a military exercise. these are innocent people. it is a war crime. >> what's your evidence? you went there with cameras? >> we went with cameras. we have evidence of that. we have certainly firsthand evidence. >> this was yesterday? [ speaking in a foreign language ] >> we showed up in one village. there were 150 people who came out and were cheering for us to come. clearly someone had told them we were coming. they probably had seen one of my films. and then all of the sudden, everyone just started running. >> we're going to go.

>> move. >> a rocket just sailed over there. let's see if we can see what it hit. you can see the kids. take a look over here. this is everybody headed into the caves to hide. >> how close was the rocket to you? >> about a kilometer away, the first one. it was close enough to feel it. it was close enough to make you -- wake you up. >> at one point you walk up to an unexploded bomb. >> yeah. >> yesterday at 10:30 in the morning, 15 bombs hit this tiny village where everyone is hiding in the rocks. and this is an unexploded bomb. it's buried up to its neck in the dirt. that's what you do with unexploded bombs?

>> he kept putting the bushes on it. i'm like, it's okay. you can leave them there. >> you can stop moving the bushes and step back slowly. >> i believe we'll just leave that there. that was interesting. the interesting thing was watching the fear. this whole thing is about fear and intimidation. this is ethnic cleansing. it's that simple. by identity they want them to leave. >> how do you know it's ethnic cleansing? >> they are only getting rid of people who are nonarab, period, that's it. at the end of the day what it all comes down to is creating space to get to the oil. at the end of the day, it's oil. south sudan has the oil and north sudan has the refineries. that's a problem. >> why do you risk your life? why care so much? this is your sixth trip to this region. why sudan? >> once you get there and you see people that, left to their own devices, without being attacked have lived and survived

and thrived in areas that are very difficult to do because they are survivors. but let's take it away from that for a second. the important thing is why everyone at home? why people in the united states? let's take away the idea that we are the most generous nation in the world. let's take away all the facts that we care about people. let's go completely selfishly and talk about economics. right now, what is going on in the sudan changes the cost of your gas every single day of your life. if for no other reason than your economic interests, there is plenty of reason to make sure that your government is involved in trying to secure some form of peace. >> you have said, i would like indicted war criminals to enjoy the same level of celebrity as me. okay. make them famous.

>> make them famous. >> omar al bashir, hussein, hahroun, taha. quite a few guys should be remembered like kony. i know that's become a big issue here. while we were on the road we found out about that. >> what do you think? >> i think it's great. the best takeaway is that if that means people across the country and across the world know the name of a war criminal, good. they should know the name of all the war criminals. >> some people watching this are going to wonder how they should square this passionate activist talking about global politics, the price of oil and sudan with the guy they see as an award-winning actor. >> not so much award winning recently. >> with a great sense of -- want to say more about that? >> i would like to talk about that. >> are you inspired by what you

have seen? >> there is always inspiration in those kind of moments. you feel an enormous sense of responsibility. we are only successful as a human race by how we look out to the people who can't look out for themselves. >> on that point, george clooney will testify about what he has witnessed before the senate foreign relations committee today. he will visit the oval office for a meeting with president obama and the secretary of state hillary clinton. he's also planning to protest in front of the embassy on friday. we are now going to switch gears. on a different note we'll ask, is your marriage good or just good enough? what you can do to improve it coming up right after this. ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] not everything powerful has to guzzle fuel. the 2012 e-class bluetec from mercedes-benz.

see your authorized mercedes-benz dealer for exceptional offers through mercedes-benz financial services. bacon?! bacon? bacon! who wants a beggin' strip? meee! i'd get it myself but i don't have thumbs! yum, yum, yum, yum, yum... it's bacon!!! mmmmm...i love you. i love bacon. i love you. [ male announcer ] there's no time like beggin' time. mmmmm...i love you. you don't disappear at midnight. and now, you've met your match. new revlon® colorstay™ 16 hour eyeshadow. 64 colors that will take you from night to day without smudging, creasing or fading away. and i know there's no orange like a tropicana florida orange. the soil and sunshine are just perfect here.

tropicana pure premium is made with 100% florida oranges. because the best oranges make the best juice. tropicana pure premium is made with 100% florida oranges. what do you get when you with this weekend?depot the cure for cabin fever. because with get-it-done savings on everything we need... ...we can turn this weekend into a fresh floor... ...or an updated bathroom... ...or a brand-new look. so let's hit those orange aisles, and make today the day, we make a big difference - no matter how big our budget. more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot. lay down a better floor for less. new pergo xp laminate, starts at $2.74 per square foot. 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. have 46 grams of whole grains... mmmm. ...and a touch of sweetness.

you'll be delighted to discover how good they taste. -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. a lot of couples never bother to examine their relationship until it's too late. what happens when you try to make a good marriage even better? amy robach has one couple's story. good morning. >> good morning.

author liz wiler thought her relationship could use improvement. she wrote about her great experiment for the new york times. if it ain't broke, don't fix it. that pretty much describes many couples' approach to married life. it wasn't good enough for this san francisco journalist. nine years and two kids into what she describes as a happy, stable marriage, she decided to examine her relationship, going to different types of therapy to find out how to improve it. >> the research says the average couple is unhappy for six years before going to therapy. at that point it's like you broke your leg six years ago and you have been limping around. you haven't had medical care and you finally go in. part of what i was interested in was not waiting. >> it sounded like a nightmare to me. what's any guy going to say when your wife says, hey, i have a great idea. let's experiment with with marriage improvement techniques.

>> there are a huge number of marriage therapists out there. they have hugely varying degrees of skill and experiment. >> reporter: she says the wrong therapist can lead couples toward a divorce they may not really want. >> you need to be with someone good. you need to be with someone who knows what they are doing. >> people go to marriage counseling to get divorced. when you hear, if a friend confesses to you, yeah, actually, we're going to marriage counseling, your immediate thought is, oh, wow, their marriage is done. >> reporter: they are both writers who work from home and split household responsibilities. even people who spend a lot of time together and use words for a living can use some extra help. >> man, i walked out of the counseling sessions a couple of times feeling like, wow, this is terrific! you know? this is working out great for me. i'm scoring points here. >> reporter: but for all the hours spent in therapy, the most memorable part of the marriage

improvement project didn't require any talking at all. >> the best thing we did was we trained together for a swim to alcatraz from san francisco. we did the swim. it was bonding and exhilarating. it was all the qualities i feel 10, 12 years into a marriage we are all hoping to reclaim. >> most of us aren't going to do extreme sports on date night but she says the key is to take on a challenge that you and your spouse can do together. she says anything you can do to get out of your routine may be the best form of couples therapy. matt? >> amy, thank you very much. elizabeth and her husband dan are with us now. she's the author of "no cheating, no dying." i had a good marriage and i tried to make it better. judith sills is here as well. good morning, everybody. >> good morning. >> did you feel something had gone out of your marriage in the 10 or so years you were married or did you just think you hadn't reached your potential?

>> i thought we hadn't reached our potential. you know, our kids were young. we were in the stage where there is a lot of attention paid to making sure the kids get to sleep, to preschool and all of that stuff. it was more that i wanted it to be all it could be. >> you had a good marriage. >> a great marriage. >> dan, she says, we have a good marriage but i want to explore it. that's, we're having a good day, but i want to be audited by the irs. how did you react? >> the metaphor was why not see if we can peel our skin off? i didn't react well. it sounded terrible to me. >> when you first started counseling, were there days -- you say you had good days where you walked outgoing, yeah, i'm doing well. were there days you walked out in worse shape than you walked in? is. >> of course. you're stirring the pot of your life. you're getting all the gunk to come to the surface. of course there were some bad

things. >> judith, i think this isn't for everyone. >> i'm thinking it isn't for everyone because a good marriage is great. if you say, i have a good marriage, that is great, but you asked another question. you said, i have a good marriage, what can i put in to strengthen it and that is for everyone, every day. >> a statistic here. we conducted a survey on today.com asking the following question. do you have a good marriage? 86% said yes. 14% said no. then we asked another question. are there areas where you would like to improve your marriage? 87% said yes, 13% said no. the same number basically say they can do better. >> good marriage. yes, it can be better. >> how do you define good today versus how you defined it before this whole experiment. >> good today is more about acceptance. good today is not worrying that dan leaves brown socks around the house. >> is that because you don't worry anymore or he doesn't do

it? >> i don't worry. >> he still does it. >> have you improved at all? >> i no longer slip fried pig's ears into salad and try to tell her they're croutons. >> that's good. >> what's the big change in the marriage for you? >> i feel more comfortable leaving brown socks around the house. i feel comfortable cooking crazy stuff. >> everyone is relaxed. is that part of it? >> everyone's relaxed. everyone is in a place of realizing we love each other in particular. let's not worry about, you know, our small eccentricities. we are who we are. let's embrace them. >> don't measure yourself against an abstract standard of good enough, i love you. >> the marriage association called and said, thank you very much. this will be great for business. thank you for being here. we're back after your local news

and weather. >> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. let's get a check on the morning commute with sarah caldwell. >> we are seeing improvement in some spots. 95 out over the northeast, not so much. 25 miles per hour on average. 19 miles per hour on outer loop north side. under the accident at belair road. they storch from 95 to the harrisburg expressway. ruxton towards 28th street,

looking at a slow-ago period 14 miles per hour on average to get used to that spot. if you travel near the annapolis region, let's give you a live view of traffic. 83 at ruxton road near the j.f.x., not too bad. we will switch over to a life of traffic at the harrisburg expressway. nice right here. once you get closer to padonia, things slow up towards the beltway. >> it is it beautiful start for us this wednesday. temperatures are very comfortable. 57 degrees at the airport. now remember pressure at 31.3. near the pennsylvania line, in the 40's. lots of sunshine, high temperatures between 73 and 78.

nice as it gets by this time of year. there maybe a couple of lingering showers on st. patrick's day. >> we will have another update at 8:55.

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. here's a better idea... pillsbury grands! flaky layers biscuits. in just 15 minutes, the light delicate layers add a layer of warmth to your next dinner. pillsbury grands! dinner ideas made easy.

8:30 now on a wednesday morning, the 14th of march 2012. we have a massive crowd. part of our rolling spring break in rockefeller plaza. we're glad to give them this opportunity with their boas and all to say hi to family and friends back home. meantime we're out on the plaza. we have a big story about a big happening at the supermarket. >> more men are out there doing the grocery shopping.

so stores have gotten hip to that. they're saying, wait a second. what can we do to make the experience better for men and attract more men to buy more? >> free bacon samples. >> potatoes. >> we'll talk about how stores are getting macho. >> are you doing enough to save for retirement? jean chatzky says no and she has great, important and easy to follow advice to help you build that emergency cushion. she has a new book out. we'll talk to her. >> also for parents if you have children in day care are they getting the stimulation they need? much of a child's foundation for learning is established in the first two years of life, as you know. according to a recent study many day cares aren't fulfilling the primary needs. jenna bush hager will have more on this coming up. >> she looks luminous. let's bring in amanda peet. tell us about your new character

and why a comedy? >> i'm so excited to do another comedy. it's an opposites attract romantic comedy. i play a type a lawyer whose ex-husband is in jail for securities fraud. i fall in love with my contractor who's a sexy, pot smoking motorcycle riding good for nothing. >> something you said in the preinterview i liked. in the best tradition of a show like moonlighting you like the opposite attracts situation especially when the two characters almost hate the fact that they are attracted to each other. >> i love that. i get uncomfortable in the audience because it's suspenseful. you want them to be together, but you understand it's a contentious relationship. yes, i love playing that. and my beautiful, gorgeous costar david walton is -- beautiful. >> he's beautiful and gorgeous. >> and you have a terrific

supporting cast. jeffrey tamber, jamie smooth. >> i can't function because i'm worshiping my costars. we feel really, really lucky. everyone's brilliantly funny and so, yeah. >> you're a brilliant working mom as well. i know you found a way to manage balancing career and the kids. >> i have? am i managing it? >> do you bring them to the set? >> yes. they came to the set sometimes in their pajamas and frankie, my older daughter would do the clapper and say we're going on a bell! >> not the kind that turns the lights off. >> how are you this funny this early? >> we're punchy, not funny. >> congratulations. the series premiere of "bent" is on wednesday with two episodes

starting at 9:00/8:00 central time here on nbc. >> nice to see you. >> thank you. >> mr. roker. >> afternoon temperatures today, we're talking 30s, 40s and 60s in new england. 50s in the northern plains. look at the temperatures. the mississippi river valley, plains, southeast, midatlantic states with temperatures in the 80s. much above normal for march. to the end of march below normal along the coast. above normal on the eastern seaboard. above normal back through much of the plains. you can see record highs in the plains into the lower mississippi river valley. more heavy rain in the pacific northwest. northern california, heavy mountain snows. a gorgeous day along the northeast and midatlantic coast. look for mountain snows in northern new england. >> good morning.

the temperatures are way above average. the average high is 53. we'll make it into the mid to upper 70's. and that's your latest weather. ann? >> thanks, al. >> we want to say hello to robert de niro. yeah, robert de niro is on the couch. big time oscar winner stars in "being flynn" playing a man who drinks too much, spends time in prison and abandons his family until his son tries to reconnect. good to see you. >> how are you? >> kind of a guy at odds with himself, this character. why do you like him? >> i liked paul white, the director and screenwriter, adapter, if you will, of the book.

i liked his intensity about it. his passion, if you will. it's a word i can't stand is, but he has a personal reason for wanting to do the movie. if somebody has that kind of feeling already to me, you know, you're 70% there. plus what i have seen in paul's other work, i knew it was going to be special. not necessarily that it would be something i would be going after or try to develop. but with him, being at the helm, if you will, i would say this would be worth doing. >> is it true you get back behind the wheel of a taxi in this movie? >> yeah. >> as part of the character? >> yeah. >> that must have been interesting. you probably haven't driven a taxi since "taxi". >> "taxi driver," right. >> that must have been fun. >> that was something else.

>> the movie is a memoir based on the book by nick flynn about this estranged father-son relationship. >> yeah. >> you, as a father of six kids now, what did you take away from doing this? >> well, the father, his father is kind of a guy that in some ways i don't understand. because he's totally abandoned in a sense, self-involved. >> and homeless. >> becomes homeless eventually. to me it's somebody who's been avoiding his whole life what he wants to do which is to be a great writer. not just a writer, but a great writer. he deludes himself into thinking he is. of course, he's not. and the whole thing is that the son does carry that mantel, if you will. that's the nice thing about it.

>> you disappear into characters and you disappear into this guy. you went into the greenwich hotel downtown as the homeless character and security was called because they thought there was a homeless man in the hotel. you were confronted. and the funny part is you own that hotel. that had to create -- how did you like seeing the hotel operate from that side of things? >> you know, i didn't blame the security. they didn't want me in. i said, i wouldn't want somebody like myself in there either. >> but they are still employed. >> coming up, you have the tribeca film festival on the way. you're busy. nice of you to take time for us this morning. >> thank you. >> congratulations. >> lots of good buzz. >> "being flynn" opens nationwide friday. up next, noticed a change at the grocery store like a guy like robert de niro walking in dressed as a homeless man?

what stores are doing to attract male shoppers. first, this is "today" on nbc.

back now at 8:40. if you have been to the grocery store you may have seen manufacture men doing the shopping and supermarkets are taking notice. kevin tibbles is in chicago with more on the story. hey, kevin. good morning. >> reporter: ann, there was a time when you wouldn't see that many men out doing the shopping, but these days in the aisles, the times, they are achanging. ♪ lost in the supermarket no more if you're a guy. >> on a weekly basis i shop maybe three, four times a week. >> i just enjoy it. it's relaxing for me. >> reporter: of course to some men it's just work. >> to me it's a chore i like to

get done. >> reporter: we wanted to find out why increasing numbers of males are getting it done when it comes to taking control of the cart. >> this is what guys want. >> in here it's a free-for-all. >> welcome to beer heaven. >> reporter: we went shopping with men's health senior contributing editor matt bean at mariano's fresh market to see what guys are cruising the aisles for. if you're a red-blooded male this gets your attention. >> this is something a lot of places have beefed up on, no pun intended. >> reporter: yes, beef, and other man friendly items. one survey showed that in 51% of households, men are the primary shoppers. nothing like a frozen pizza. >> $3? can't beat that. >> reporter: it's no longer just pizza or manwich for us guys. wherever you look, supermarkets

are more man friendly from freshly prepared foods to a dazzling display of vitamins and grooming products. >> now as you see we have a wall of deodorant choices here. this is almost stifling. >> reporter: i want my own guy-aisle. why are grocery stores going macho? because men, quite frankly, are easy marks. >> guys are mission oriented. we are also bigger impulse buyers. when you get us in a supermarket, watch out. >> reporter: don't believe me? just ask the women. >> when it comes to buying, he just grabs. i'm more specific. >> she tells me stay away from this place, this place. she knows i'll see it and i might buy it. >> reporter: men are also likely to pay full price. men don't coupon clip, do they? >> have you ever clipped a coupon? >> reporter: negative. so if you are letting the man of

the house loose in the supermarket, make sure he's thoroughly trained. >> i don't have to do anything. i just sit at home, send him to the grocery store. >> reporter: these aisles were once the domain of the lady of the house, but no more. grocery shopping is every bit a man's world. and as men's health's matt bean tells us, ladies, if you don't want your guy to go rogue, send him armed with a list and tell him to stick to it. what was my impulse buy this morning? corned beef, of course. it's st. patrick's day, after all. >> that's a good choice. you look like trouble though. >> reporter: this thing weighs ten pounds. >> kevin tibbles, thank you for your reporting. up next, jean chatzky's money rules to live by. first, this is "today" on nbc.

girl: i want to tell you about my friend. his name is ben. ben learned about a homeless boy who had an infected tooth, and the boy died. that made ben really sad. he wrote a law so every kid can see a dentist. we have special dental van that goes from school to school. he even helps make sure we learn how to brush our teeth. he's my friend, ben. i hope he's your friend, too. i'm ben cardin, and i approved this message.

this is an angus steak and egg sandwich. it's a tremendous morning. angus, man! angus! dunkin's new angus steak and egg sandwich makes any morning special. try one today.

>> announcer: today's money is brought to you by bank of america. >> this morning on today's money, financial rules to live by. despite years of saving 50% of people will run out of money during retirement. what can you do to make sure it doesn't happen to you? jean chatzky is the author of "money rules, the simple path to lifelong security." welcome. >> tank you. >> these are simple rules you explain in perfect ways. let's get to them. if you can't see it and you can't touch it, you won't spend it. >> this is why 401(k) works. you have to get the money out of your line of sight. you can do it for other things. any goal you want to save for, get the money into a separate account. >> how about this one? just because someone will lend it to you doesn't mean you should borrow it.

>> this is the lesson of the credit crisis. the whole housing bust and boom. banks now are willing to lend you a lot of money for a mortgage. maybe more than you can afford. don't take it. and don't take the high credit limits either. know your own budget and keep yourself in check. >> this next one has entered my life on a number of occasions, i will be honest. don't shop angry, don't shop sad, don't shop hungry. >> three rules. don't shop angry because you're more optimistic and you are likely to take foolish risks buying things. by the way, investing in things. when you feel sad you have a hole in your sad you're looking to fill up and a new pair of shoes might do it. >> it makes you feel good for a little while. >> then you feel really bad afterwards. >> and hungry. >> you go into the warehouse stores. you have samples and you come home with a tent you didn't go to buy in the first place. it gets you going. and drinking the wine and cheese

things at that time neighborhood boutique, stay away. >> i have gotten good use out of that tent. if you can't explain it, don't buy it. >> any investment you do not understand does not belong in your portfolio. >> why? some could be really good but it's above your head. >> if it's above your head a financial adviser should be able to explain it to you so you do understand it. if you can't wrap your brain around it, it doesn't belong. >> this one will get people thinking. count dollars like calories. >> you should be tracking your spending. that's the thing that will get most people on track. you know, i read michael pollen's book "food rules" and i started quoting him like crazy. i thought, this is what we need for money. we tried to simplify. >> the best cost-cutting tool is a good night's sleep. >> absolutely. >> everything in your life you can say that about. >> if you don't wake up 24 hours later, you don't need it. >> i like the way you have broken it down. good book. it's "money rules."

up next, is your child's day care doing enough to boost learning at an early age? jenna bush hager has the results of an alarming study. first, this is "today" on nbc. 8e

opening look at the importance of quality day care center from millions of infants in the u.s. jenna bush hager is here with

details. good to see you. >> hi, ann. during the first two years of life the brain is at its most vulnerable. in some day care centers where kids aren't learning they fall way behind. that window can be a predictor for the rest of a child's life. life for high school seniors is almost always busy, juggling early mornings and school work. >> want to help mom? >> reporter: for 18-year-olds it has complexities. here she's raising two young boys who are under the age of 3 and only ten months apart. >> it's hard. it's hard because at times i'm a mother and father to my kids. >> reporter: although glamorized on tv and in celebrity magazines, in reality -- >> color right there. >> reporter: young teenaged moms have a lot to worry about. like dismal day care. >> they usually sat down and it's like one teacher with 20

students. and if they didn't want to do nothing they will just make them watch tv. >> reporter: wendy's kids are not alone. approximately 7 million toddlers in the u.s. get care from somebody other than a relative and a recent study found only 8% of infant care centers are of good or excellent quality. >> many children spend a lot of time without having anyone talk to them, without being picked up. there are many children spending their days in front of television sets. by the time they are ready for kindergarten they may be two years behind well to do peers. >> reporter: the head of the center for early childhood education at harvard has new research that shows how negligent in the first few years of life changes a child's brain forever. >> when a child is getting almost no stimulation the brain starts to lose its architecture. you can see some of the connections wither away and you

have death of brain cells. the result is a brain that's less well wired for learning and development. this is not about everybody ending up the same. this is about everybody starting at a level playing field. >> reporter: a level playing field is all wendy wants for her sons. >> they are learning so much, every second. >> reporter: it turns out just across town from wendy lives su srs susie sprks bu -- buffett. he chose not to give money to his children but give them billions for philanthropy. >> i believe that most of the kids popped out with the ability to learn and succeed but they don't have the opportunity. so they end up going to kindergarten unprepared and everything starts going downhill. if we can change that it will change the k through 12 system and other things in the country.

>> reporter: susie is putting time and resources behind a new child care system called edu-care. what's different between what you see here and what you see in ineffective child care systems? >> it's quality. certified teachers in every classroom. it's low ratio. for the young kids it's 3 to 1. kids walk into kindergarten prepared and on a same level with their peers. >> reporter: wendy's kids are now being cared for here. >> they have learned a lot. i look at my son and he's doing everything. he's talking, walking, saying his numbers. he knows what he's doing. >> reporter: does it make you feel proud as a mom? >> it makes me feel good. >> reporter: the boys may have started at a zdisadvantage. now they are ahead of the game. for too many, that creates obstacles that will last a lifetime. we don't want to scare parents or make them worry. appropriate stimulation is

everything from reading to playing to simply speaking with your children. it's the simple things that help form the foundation for the rest of their lives. >> that's a really good story, jenna. >> thank you. >> it doesn't just help children and families. it helps our company. >> economy. economists talk about how important it is. >> well done. >> thanks. >> just ahead, answers to your most pressing financial emergencies. first, these messages and your local news. >> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. firefighters in anne arundel county are trying to determine what sparked a fire that damaged two homes. crews responded to the buyer,

which went to two alarms 10:30 tuesday night. we are told that everyone in both

>> it is is going to be another beautiful day. temperatures are way above average, mid-to-upper-70's. we will drop into the 60s on saturday. >> we will