good morning. suspect identified. we now know the name of the american soldier being detained in that deadly rampage in afghanistan. staff sergeant robert bales is now in the u.s. guilty. a rutgers universitytudent has been convicted. why experts say the verdict represents a verdict against bullying. and a royal first. the duchess of cambridge prepares to hold her first solo military appearance and today's event contains shamrocks and pageantry fit for a future queen. today is saturday, march 17, 2012.

captions paid for by nbc-universal television good morning, everyone. welcome to "today" on a saturday. i'm lester holt. >> and i'm amy robach, and think they threw some green lights on the set because we're barely wearing green. i found some green right here. >> i don't remember. when you were kids, if you didn't wear green, did you get pinched? >> yes. >> i didn't say do it. >> yes, we did. >> apparently so. happy st. patrick's day. we're talking about george clooney. friday he used his power to get attention about the violence in sudan. we'll hear why he says his arrest was worth it. >> and then there are videos that make the rounds on youtube. this one is being called the cinnamon challenge. it's a dare that involves trying

to swallow a spoonful of cinnamon. it sounds like fun but there are serious warnings about it. why anyone would want to try it, i'm not sure. >> it looks awful. then we're going to check in on the trial of a wealthy florida tycoon. he adopted his girlfriend to protect his weltd. during testimony this week he was painted as a rich reckless drunk who left a man to dry but what defense lays say is to blame might surprise you. and then the titanic, the most famous ship wreck in history. we'll show you some of the incredible treasure that is now up for auction. we want to begin with the soldier going on a shooting spree in afghanistan, killing 16 civilians. he's back in the united states this morning. nbc's john yang is outside the ft. levin worth facility in kos

where he is being held. >> reporter: good morning. staff sergeant robert bales is waking up for the first time in u.s. since being deployed. he's not at home in washington state. he's here in ft. levin worth in solitaire confinement. staff sergeant robert bales seen here training at a facility in california is being held at a pretrial detention facility. he shot 16 that left them dead. he's the married father of two young children of his own who have all been moved onto a military base in washington state for their own brother tekz. >> they're suffering a lot, confused a lot. more than anything, everybody's very concerned. they're scratching their heads more than anything else. >> reporter: neighbors in his washington state community are shocked. >> super nice. super nice family. nice people, nice parents, nice

friends. i just -- i'm completely blown away. >> reporter: according to his lawyer he enlisted shortly after 9/11 and decided to make it his career. he was sent to iraq three times suffering a heds injury and losing part of a foot. >> he was told he would not be going back to the middle east, he was training to be a military leader and overnight he was told he was going back very in afghanistan he was witness to more of war's brutality. >> there was an incident right before these allegations where one of his fellow soldiers was mortally wounded. >> reporter: he's described as a highly decorated member of the third infantry division with a good conduct record. stateside he was said to have led a quiet unassuming life. his lawyer rejects allegations of a troubled marriage or drinking. he suggests he's suffering from

post-traumatic stress disorder and it might play a role in his defense. legal analysts say insanity defenses are rare in military trials. >> i think you would have to assume that's going to be an uphill battle just on general principles. >> reporter: court record shoes that twice since 2002 bales was in civilian court for misdemeanor charges and each time the court ordered him to undergo anger management training. he'll go to court to determine if the military can continue to hold him while the investigation continues. >> thanks. now here's amy. now to the presidential race. the gop delegate race stretches to puerto rico this weekend. it's more important than ever as candidates fight for each delegate. peter alexander is in san juan, puerto rico. good morning, peter. >> reporter: good morning to you from the island of puerto rico. the people in puerto rico can't

vote in this year's general election but they have a significant role in nominating a gop. take a look at some remarkable video. this is not a scene that mitt romney has seen. it was more like a carnival than a get out and vote rally. this was a political rally with the governor of puerto rico, fortuno. there was music, dancing, a high energetic, passionate crowd. there was a lot of hugging and kissing. ann said to the crowd, you show us how to party. mitt romney said he cared for them as americans. meanwhile rick santorum will be in missouri and illinois. missouri today and illinois on tuesday, but santorum was here earlier in the week and he caused a firestorm of controversy before he left, leaving in his wake concerns

among some of his supporters that said if puerto rico wanted to become the 51st state in the u.s., english would have to be the primary language. that upset folks. he tried to backpedal. he tried to say english should be the preferred english, not the official language. it's not clear how badly this could haunltd him. it's about two-thirds catholic and one-thirds evangelical. >> and, peter, we know these primaries now are all about the map. what impact does puerto rico have when it comes to that ever-important delegate count? >> reporter: it's pretty remarkable. you consider all the focus we put on new hampshire a couple months ago. puerto rico with 20 delegates has more than vermont, new hampshire, or hawaii. it's the fif osth of the territories. if you look at the map romney is significantly ahead of his rivals. that's more than the other three challengers combined.

amy? >> peter alexander in puerto rico. thank you. once again here's lester. today at the pump gasoline prices are on the rise again or maybe i should say still. the average national price for a gallon of unleaded, $3.84, up six cents from last week. it affects all our wallets. what will we do if it affects our wallets. bertha coombs here. obviously some people paying more than $4. but the national averaging is $3.84. what's driving it so early in the season? >> it's kind of the perfect storm. on the one hand we've got oil prices are higher because of the situation in iran. they're the second biggest producer of opec, those sanctions against i rehab from trying to develop a nuclear bomb are stating to take impact, so less of that oil is getting out into the market. it's coming at the same time that here in the u.s. we've got

an infrastructure problem. we're producing more oil on larngsd like places in north dakota, half a million barrels a day. that's become before the infrastructure. >> we're not refining it there. >> down to the big refineries in mississippi and louisiana and alabama. and this is the time of year that a lot of the refineries on the east coast and west coast go down for repair. you have some refining capacity offline, there have been some glitches in california, although, just now they're starting to come back on line. but that's part of the reason why it's so high. >> the price is all over the map, depending on where you are. from where we are, we can be in new jersey in 15 minutes and the price of gas will drop in a big way. why? >> that has to do with the taxes. they're lower in new jersey than they are in new york. the regional differences around the country, in part due to taxes, in part due to the

imbalance about the refining situation. so because of the refineries on the east coast and the west coast have been down, they're buying imporlted gasoline, and the gasoline that's refined down on the gulf coast because they can't get that on land oil so efficiently, they're buying imported oil, which is about $20 higher than the price of oil locally. >> quickly, i've got to ask you what this means for the overall economy. it's an inflationary factor. does it drive inflation across the board? >> it does. it takes away about a point of economic growth. we receive $4 in terms of the record back in 2008. usually they peak around july 4th, the height of the driving season. $4.11 was the national average. we're likely to exceed that. the question is could we get to $5. people don't like $4, but they know how to deal with that. we've had a couple of years. $5 would be a big shock and

that's the one that would really put us over. and that would happen if prices spike if we have a confrontation with iran. >> all right. a lot to worry -- a lot to thing about. >> a lot to think about. >> thank you very much. good to have you here. it's time to check on the other top stories. if their we head to the news desk and say hi tom. they creditet with prevelkting a death friday from a tornado that stay oddtown ground for half an hour cutting a ten-mile path of destruction through dexter and ann arbor. 13 homes were destroyed, more than 100 damaged. it was part of a large system that packed hail, high winds that reached speeds of 135 miles an hour. the obama administration is indicating that it's willing to help insurance companies offsetting the cost of providing birth control to women working at church-affiliated hospitals and colleges. the administration said friday

it's seeking public comment before seeking a final decision. two explosions targeted compounds in damascus, syria. both sides are blaming the other for the latest violence in the anti-government movement that began last month. the man who nair nates the kony 2012 video has been arrested. his ved owe about a wanted african warlord became an international sensation. the duchess is performing the century-old tradition on her own while her husband, william, is on military duty in the faulk lands. we'll have more coming up in our 8:00 hour. and there's a lot of busted brackets today. it's been 11 years since they

won but it happened twice on friday. lehigh university pulled off one of the biggest upsets in tournament history, defeating four-time national champion duke university, 75-70. that shocker came after another number 15 seed norfolk bead missouri, 86-84. the third round begins with three big east and three big ten conferences in action. that's the news. now let's get look at the weather with bill karins. and oh what a beautiful st. paddy's day it's going to be with the exception, the west coast. our friends dealing with snow. california picked up a lot of it, especially in the central sierra. now that snow is moving southward and even the mountains outside of l.a. will be getting snow. that rain will be heading to

l.a. a little later this morning. right now fresno getting heaviest of rain. we're seeing heavy amounts of snow, as much as two feet in the mountains and eventually the mountains of l.a. and the rim of arizona will be dealing with snow too. so, chicago, while you're in >> here's what the inner harbor looked like. plenty of sunshine mild again for around 70 for the high. vial i'll have more on this crazy weather later in the show. lester. now to the brutal drug war

being waged in mexico. using children as drug mules has grown ten-fold since 2008. and there's a big debate this election year about how much is spilling over to our side of the border. nbc's mark potter reports. >> reporter: in southern arizona angie beckham says she and her family want to move because of the immigrants from mexico coming across at night. >> we're being forced off our land because it's not safe. >> reporter: this couple says their property miles from if border are also overrun by mexican traffickers. >> they're stealing my property, my rights. i'm not happy. >> reporter: despite reports of smugglers crossing the border, federal officials say the american side is sachd the violence has not spilled over, thanks to increased u.s. law enforcement. >> everything we're seeing along our nation's southwest border

points to a much safer border today than it has been in over the last 20 years. >> reporter: in el paso last year president obama joked about republicans wanting more border security measures. >> maybe they'll neat a moat. maybe they'll want alligators in the moat. >> it was a total mockery and insult of our situation here. >> reporter: arizona's county sheriff disagrees with the administration and says mexican traffickers are increasingly aggressish. >> right up front, i'd say the borders are more dangerous than it ever has been. >> reporter: steve mccraw says with a porous border, cartel violence is spreading. >> we've identified 25 murders that are cartel-related. we've identified 124 kidnapping and extortions that are cartel-related. we know of incidents in which cartel has shot at police

officers. >> reporter: making it difficult is federal and state officials can not agree on how to define spillover violence and other crimes linked to mexican traffickers operating in the united states. it includes cartel attacks on u.s. citizens and police but not does include an attack on another cartel. this hit man was convicted of killing another cartel member. federal statistics do not include many cartel crimes. professor howard campbell of the university of texas in el paso says the issue is inflamed by election year politics. >> democrats claiming everything is peaceful, quiet, no problem, republicans arguing that the situation on the border is out of control with spillover violence. >> campbell suggests the best way to get a straight answer on the border is to ask the people who actually live there. for "today," mark potter, nbc news, tucson, arizona. and now to the "desperate

housewives" trial in los angeles, jurors in the nicollette sheridan wrongful termination case will try again to reach a verdict on monday. nbc's craig melvin has more now from los angeles. >> reporter: the cliff hanger continued as the jury is hopelessly deadlocked. >> unless we can get a vote one way or the other, we're not going to see a verdict in this case. >> reporter: nicollette sheridan claims her character was killed off because she claimed mark slapped her during rehearsal. he claims it was a light tap while he was directing her during a scene. she's suing. if jurors don't agree on a verdict monday, the judge says she'll declare a mistrial. she ordered both sides friday to consider a settlement. >> the judge asks us to talk. we talked. it went nowhere.

>> reporter: it has all the making of a "desperate housewives" episode. there was suspense, surprise, even a shocking witness. on the stand, a producer leaked its fans favorite mike dell fee noe was being killed off and then the trial's biggest plot twist. >> obviously i'm thrilled by the judge's decision. >> reporter: the judge threw out the battery charge against cherry and said there was not enough evidence and the verdict goes beyond the wives. >> it's all the studios and perhaps the employees that work for them because this will show whether you can beat goliath. >> reporter: if there's no decision, both sides vow to press on. >> we've seen what they've got, every little trick. we'll try it again. >> reporter: meaning a possible to be continued. it's now 19 after the hour, and once again, here's lester. amy, thanks. did you take a vitamin this

morning or have a natural weight loss drinks, if you did, then what chris hanson discovered in his dateline investigation may come as a surprise. >> here's what a lot of people don't know. unlike med sigss, dietary supplements don't have to be approved by governments before they're sold in stores. even though they say natural, some supplement mace not be as safe as they sound. >> my husband and i have a hobby. we have show dogs. >> barbara king says she trusted the label on her supplement and it was the start of a living nightmare. >> and i just progressively starting feeling extreme fatigue. my hair started falling out. >> your har started to fall out. >> my hair started to fall out. every time i would get out of the shower and looked, it looked like a dog had been in their shedding. >> i said, my hair is going, carla. >> donny holbrook didn't have any idea why her hair was

falling out either. >> this is where my hair was pretty much gone within ten days. >> ten days? >>. >> two weeks. yes. >> that's stunning. >> in a manner of weeks, she'd gone from looking like this to this. her names were falling off too. they never dreamed the culprit was hiding in plain sight. >> this is the actual product. >> this is the actually body. balance your body the way nature intended. >> right. >> turns out instead of taking a liquid vitamin they thought would help them, they were taking something toxic. >> what you find is an ingredient, a mineral which is potentially deadly. >> we wonder how what are supposed to be natural supplements make people so sick and how on earth could they make it all the way to reputable stores. >> it's like the west, they do whatever they want. >> wild, wild west. >> you and i could open a

supplement company in the pack of a pickup truck. >> it might not be in the back of a pickup truck, but we're about to set up our own company, create poisonous substances and ask labs to check them. dateline goes undercover to ask who's testing your supplements. >> doctor, there's something i need to tell you. one of the other surprises, another supplement used women's pantyhose to remove black flecks out of a material. >> this is disturbing. are you going to give advice? >> you need to consult your doctor, be careful when you're talking weight loss supplements and muscle builders and those that help you in the bedroom. those are the main targets. you can go to the website to check things out. >> thanks very much. you can see the entire report

tomorrow night on "the hansen files" on "dateline" right here on nbc. a student was killed. first rs, this is "today," on nbc.

"today," "hunger games" is expected to blow the roof off the box office box when it opens next week. why it isn't just for teens. >> george clooney takes on new rules. >> good morning. happy st. patrick's dil so yourd

baltimore police officer daniel redd is charged with selling heroin. >> people have to know this is a bp led investigation. the baltimore police department identified this problem, we rectified this problem. we partnered with federal authorities to send a clear message. 20 years. convicted to 20 years. we're not going to tolerate inappropriate activity for any behavior that undermines the integrity of these officers. >> redd has been working as a baltimore city police officer for 17 years. at the time of his arrest. sentencing scheduled for june 20th. >> a baltimore county man is accused of using facebook to

solicit sex from a meanor. ron freeman had been using the screen name ron corliogn and began contacted a 14-year-old girl. she notified police, and they set up an undercover operation. he was arrested. any other potential victims are asked to come forward by calling baltimore county police at 410-853-3650. >> the search continues this morning for the suspect that brutaly attacked an 84-year-old woment. the suspect approached a woman in the back of her home. he followed her in the house and attacked and robbed her. he ran off on foot. anyone with information is asked to call baltimore city police. we're back with a c

>> good morning. a belief look at our radar-satellite combination. we do have some areas of some dense fog this morning. otherwise sunshine. 47 degrees right now at the airport. that's the low so far this morning. 97% the humidity. that's way up, and that explains the fog. 30.23. calm, dense fog advisory. covering our viewing area until 10:00 this morning. up in pennsylvania, though, not included in the forecast. high pressure today holds the unsettled weather to the south. we get a flow off the ocean. that will hold the temperatures down a little bit. 69 to 74 for the high. still way above normal.

we'll see a few scattered clouds. >> thanks, john. we're back in 25 minutes with another update. see you then. ♪ we are back on a saturday morning, march 17, 2012. happy st. patrick's day, everyone. in fact, you're looking at kate middleton, otherwise known as the duchess of cambridge. she's celebrating with the troops in england. how is she doing on her first social military engagement? you're going to find out in a live report coming up. and back across the pond, we have a huge crowd out on the plaza. it looks like they're gearing up for the big parade that will be coming through new york city. >> can we get one of those? >> i don't know. back inside studio 1a i'm amy

robach along with lester holt. coming up, george clooney under arrest. >> on friday he was add a planned protest outside the embassy in sudan when he and his dad were placed under arrest. will his star power help draw attention to the conditions in sudan? we may have answered our own question. we'll talk about that coming up. have you ever heard of a cinnamon challenge? it's dare that's making its round on youtube. the challenge is to try to swallow a spoonful of cinnamon without drinking water. the consequences are dangerous and it could be life-threatening. move over, twilight. it's for adults who can't seem to get enough of this upcoming block bust jeer we begin in florida where investigators are looking into the death of an unaround teenager. he was shot by a man patrolling

its gated community as part of the neighborhood watch. let's take a listen. >> wrestling right in the back of my porch. >> you just heard one shot go off? >> it was either that or a rock at the window or something. i don't know. the guy's yelling help, but i'm not going out. >> the shooter, george zimmerman has not been arrested. martin's family has demanded the reese lease of the 911 calls to better understand how he ended up dying after he walked home from a convenience store. we're joined from orlando. good morning. >> good morning. >> i want to ask you. when did you first learn that your son had been shot? >> monday morning. it may have been around 7:00, 8:00 in the morning, the day after he had been shot. >> and, tracy, i know that

there's been so much uncertainty surrounding the facts of why zimmerman shot your son. he claims it was self-defense, but i know you don't believe that. >> not at all, and especially after hearing the tapes last night, it's devastating. >> and i know, sabrina, speaking of those tapes, you heard them for the first time last night. can you tell us the impact they had on you when you heard those calls, what went through your mind? >> just to hear my son begging for his life really disturbed me as a mother. that was my baby, and he was pleading for his life, and i just don't understand how that's self-defense. you can clearly hear him yelling for help. >> it's hard to imagine how

difficult this is for you all. and i want to bring mr. crump in. why do you think or why do police believe there was an altercation after that 911 call where the operator told zimmerman to stay put, not to get out of his car? >> you know, hearing these tapes that everybody can hear, it makes it clear he disregarded the police's instruction. he actually traced trayvon, and trayvon only had a bag of skittles. he had a .9 millimeter gun. the voice you hear is trayvon's. we have three witnesses who say it was trayvon's voice crying for help. why the police have not arrested jerry zimmerman for killing this kid in cold blood is unbelievable to everybody, especially his mother and father. >> and i know police are saying there is not enough evidence,

they believe, to convict zimmerman on charges of manslaughter, and it's been almost three weeks since trayvon was shot and killed. it wasn't getting much attention initial initially. why do you think police are paying attention now? >> you can't kill a kid in cold blood and have all these 911 tapes and have him with a bag of skittles and say self-defense and don't spend a night in jail. every night they go to bed knowing their son is in a grave while the man who killed their son is free as a jaybird. that cannot happen in america. >> tracy and sabrina, how has the community been acting or responding to you? >> they've been very supportive. our community is seeking the same thing we're seeking, justice for trayvon. our son was gunned down cold-blooded. and from listening to the tapes last night and hearing my son's

last cry for help, he begged and pleaded for his life. >> and it's just difficult for us right now because we don't understand why he has not been arrested. we have two witnesses that came forth and the tapes, the 911 tapes telling it all. >> there is certainly enough evidence to effect an arrest here. mine you have -- they said they couldn't arrest him because they didn't have any evidence to contradict his claim of self-defense. we now have those tapes where you hear him crying for help, and you have three witnesses now who said it was the kid who was crying for help. but for some reason, the police continue to try to protect george zimmerman, who, for whatever reason, disobeyed them, and yet, they're trying to protect him. >> well, tracy martin, sabrina

fulton, mr. crump. our hearts go out to you. thank you so much for joining us. time for a check of the weather with bill karins. bill? >> in the middle of the country, we mentioned the incredible heat it's going to be a very festive st. patrick's day. some of the areas that typically have snow on the ground and it's cold and still miserable, it's going to be beautiful. look at that. st. patrick, missouri, 79. north of there. 80 degrees. unheard of for this time oar >> good morning. until 10:00 this morning, a dense fog advisory in most of our viewing area for most of the maryland portion of our viewing area. the forecast calls for plenty of

that's your saturday forecast. lester? george clooney shot a documentary to raise issues there and friday while planning a protest outside the embassy, he was placed under arrest. andrea mitchell was there. >> reporter: he's using a celebrity to sound the alarm, trying to stop atrocities by the leader of iran. >> we're not talking about milita military. >> as ann curry saw for herself k . time is short. rains will be starting. desperate times call for desperate measures. the actor and his father, retired news man nick clooney

along with others deliberately stepped onto the walk way in front of sudan's embassy and were immediately arrested. >> you know, it's actually a humiliating thing to be arrested. i'm proud to be standing with my father. >> the first thing that goes through thigh mind is what my father and his team experienced. >> reporter: clooney is known for his experience on the red carpets and paparazzi. he's also familiar with darfur. traveling with ann curry two years ago, hoping to dramatize a crisis a world away from hollywood as he told brian williams on "rock center." >> i'd like criminals to enjoy the same level of celebrity as me. that seems fair. >> reporter: he's pleading for action to stop a murderous regime from the white house to congress. george clooney arrived in

washington by train with a police escort and ended in handcuffs. >> i guess you're not allowed to hang out at the sudanese embassy. >> i didn't know that. did you know that? >> no. >> a man with a slight touch. >> it's worth it. >> he put on a show that could earn him yet another golden globe. in fact, he did exactly what he set out to do, got us all talking about the horrors of sudan. for today, andrea mitcher, nbc news washington. george clooney is one of david gregory's guests tomorrow on "meet the press." still today, miles or money. we look at making most of your frequent flyer miles, but first these messages. we can start losing muscle -- 8% every 10 years. wow. wow. but you can help fight muscle loss with exercise and ensure muscle health. i've got revigor. what's revigor? it's the amino acid metabolite, hmb

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oh. where were you? uh, i was just in the car. come here. okay. [ inhales deeply ] mint. i had a shamrock shake. i hate you. and i got one for you, too. i love you. [ male announcer ] mccafé shamrock shake from mcdonald's. ♪ this morning on "today's" travel, frequent travel.

they start planning their summer vacation so the hard earned reward might be tougher to share. here to share with us is lisa, senior editor for conde nast magazine. good morning. we know the industry has gone through changes in recent years. how is this impacting frequent flyer mierls and offering that overall airlines have been flying at higher capacity and higher prices. this is due because of tighter supply/demand ratio and higher fuel costs. the more people are using their miles to get seats on flights which in turn leads to more competition and less availability for seats. >> 25,000 miles, you knew if you got that much, you'd be able to get a ticket. what is that number now. >> think of frequent flyer miles as the cost of currency. yes, they're still available. they're much harder to get. you have to be smarter about using them. >> it's the 6:00 a.m. flights that they're available for,

right? when you don't want to leave that early p when is it worth it to use your miles instead of paying for a ticket? >> there's no simple answer. it depends how often, when and where. there are general guidelines you can follow. the first is book as early as you can and have flexibility that will let you have the most choice and fewest miles to redeem. consider the short flights or inexpensive flights. you have to wonder about those. for expensive flights, all try to use your miles no-brainer there. for longer flights, consider using your miling for an upgrade so you can fly in comfort. if you spend miles to fly to your destination, that leaves more money to spend at the destination. >> we have questions from viewers asking about using mile. this is an e-mail from mary alice from kansas city, she says what about airline mergers and bankruptcies? do those affect the miles i

already have with airlines? that's a big one. >> the bottom line is, no. your miles will stay intact. they may shift to the company running them but they stay intact. same thing happens with bankruptcies. >> and you want to be strategic about earning miles. should you try to focus on one and just focus on that one airline versus spreading your miles out? >> the best way to go about this is observe your own flying habits and see how you can best maximize your earning potential of your miles. if you fly frequently, consider using an airline that goes to the airport that's closest to you as a hub, and chances are you'll always fly that flight and travel quickly. consider using a regional airline. in alaska it uses less miles to acquire a leap status. and finally if you're flying

just within north america, american airlines has a lot of flights in that region. they have a lot of merchandising partners. >> i like it. lisa gill. thanks so much. we appreciate it. coming up next, the "hung dwer games. wts why it's appealing to all audiences after these messages. have rheumatoid arthritis, can you start the day the way you want? can orencia help? [ woman ] i wanted to get up when i was ready, not my joints. [ female announcer ] could your "i want" become "i can"? talk to your doctor. orencia reduces many ra symptoms like pain, morning stiffness and progression of joint damage. it's helped new ra patients and those not helped enough by other treatments. do not take orencia with another biologic medicine for ra due to an increased risk of serious infection. serious side effects can occur including fatal infections. cases of lymphoma and lung cancer have been reported. tell your doctor if you are prone to or have any infection

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shaping up tothe biggest blockbuster and it's only march. it's from best-selling novels aimed at teens. when it opens next week, don't expect it to be opened to just kids. nbc's stephanie gosk explains why. >> reporter: the "hunger games'" teenaged fans are not difficult to hear, lining up to premieres, hoping to get a glimpse of film's young stars. but unique thing about suzanne collins' trilogy which she wrote for teenagers is it doesn't just speak to one generation. behind the screaming kids are their parents. like mother of two, charity finch who has been counting the days until it was released. >> as soon as i heard about it, i looked it online, lookedal all the trailers. >> reporter: she cruised through the three books. in fact, plenty of the adults have. it's what kept it on the bestseller list for 100

consecutive weeks. the story is set where every year teenagers battle to a death in a reality tv show. the heroine is 16-year-old, a skill skilled huntress. beautiful and bold, she, of course, has a trail of besodded suiters. >> it has an element of danger and romance. >> reporter: it's not the first film to have cross-generational appeal. it's been compared to other franchises like "harry potter" and "the twilight series." it's broken the event's ticket sales records and it's not released until next friday. a release in the spring instead of next summer means there will be little competition from others aet the box office, but

that may not have mattered. fans young and old seem pretty determined. for "today," stephanie gosk, nbc news, los angeles. >> my daughter ava went through all three books like that and then to find out my co-workers are all reading them. it's an amazing book, old, young. >> i have not read them. it looks violent. >> it is violent. but she's reading and i thought, oh, well, i'll look past that. an auction of epic proportions. pieces from the titanic sold to the highest bidder. we'll take a look. but first this is "today" on nbc.

still to come on "today," kate middleton spent st. patrick's day with the british troops. we'll head to london. >> plus j.lo opens up about her new love, but first these messages. [ male announcer ] juice drink too watery?

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it's us that work out here. [ michael ] we're on the forefront of revitalizing manufacturing. we're proving that it can be done here, and it can be done well. [ ilona ] i came to ge after the plant i was working at closed after 33 years. ge's giving me the chance to start back over. [ cindy ] there's construction workers everywhere. so what does that mean? it means work. it means work for more people. [ brian ] there's a bright future here, and there's a chance to get on the ground floor of something big, something that will bring us back. not only this company, but this country. ♪ >> good morning. i'm kerry cavanaugh. the time is 7:55. here is a look at our top stories. maryland senator barbara mikulski makes history today. she's now officially the longest

serving woman in congressional congressional history. the maryland democratic is in her fifth term. she surpasses edith rogers as the longest-serving woman in congress. she was first elected to congress back in 1976. >> the governor's brother is leaving baltimore city hall. stephanie rawlings-blake announced peter o'malley will be stepping down as chief of staff to join a baltimore law firm. it anoused it will practice the firm's government relations practice. o'malley joined the mayor's office last may. a search is underway for his replacement. >> a final good-bye to christopher lyles. friends and family gathered at morgan state university for a public memorial service. lyles died after undergoing an experimental cancer surgery in sweden. go to wbaltv.com to see how you

can help christopher's family cover expenses. >> a happy homecoming for dozens of maryland soldiers. troops from the first batallion returned home. >> it's been a while. it has been over a year. just glad to be home. >> other home cummings were held in dundalk and silver spring.

>> good morning.

a little bit of haze out there. dense fog advisory in effect. visibility down a quarter mile or less in some cases. these gray-shaded areas include most of the eastern shore. now, here's the forecast for today. the basics of the st. patrick's day forecast. this morning temperatures climbing through the 50's. areas of fog, otherwise mostly sunny skies have been pushed to the south. this afternoon temperatures up around 70 or better than that. another unusual winter day with these warm temperatures. scattered clouds. mild temperatures. very, very nice st. patrick's day. this evening it will probably start out clearer and then pick up clouds overnight. temperatures in the 60's through the evening hours. again, very nice weather for st. patrick's day. the state-wide forecast the same. even out in the mountains temperatures up around 70's. sun will be the dominant feature

in the area. >> thanks, john. we're back in 25 minutes with another update. we'll see you then. welcome back to "today" on a saturday morning. it's the 17th day of march, 2012. happy st. patrick's day. we've got a great crowd on the plaza waving hello. wishing the luck of the irish to family and friends at home. they're spending part of their day with us. thank you for spending part of your day with us as well. outside on the plaza lester holt and amy robach. coming up, a trial that put a national spotlight on bullying in the cyber age. >> tliets. a former rutgers university student was found guilty of using a webcam to spy on his gay roommate. we'll look what this message sending about cyber bullying. then we'll switch gears and

focus on j.lo. she shows off a red-hot look on the cover of "vogue" and she speaks out about her split from mark anthony. and it's a special st. patrick's day for the duchess of cambridge. she's stepping out for her first solo military engagement and she's getting ready for another big royal first that we'll be talking about. but tom llamas has more. let's say good morning to him. >> the soldier suspected of killing 16 afghan villagers is back in the united states. john yang is live at the fort levavenwort leavenworth, kansas. he's in solitary confinement in a pretile detention center. he's awaiting formal charges in relation to that shooting rampage that left 16 gachb civilians dead, including women and children. he's being describe as a loving

husband and father of two young children of his own. he's a career military man. this was his fourth deployment overseas, his first to afghanistan. in three previous tours in iraq, his attorney says, he suffered a traumatic head injury when a vehicle he was in hit an ied and he lost part of a foot in combat. his attorney suggests that he may be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and says that that could play a role in his defense. one interesting note, another fellow inmate in this pretrial detention center is private bradley manning, the soldier accused of leaking confidential documents, classified documents to wikileaks. tom? >> jong lang live for us this morning. john, thank you so much. german police say john who was convicted last year of serving as a nazi death camp

guard has died. he reported to germany in 2009 to face trial after being stripped of his u.s. citizenship. actor george clooney is free after paying a $100 fine. clooney was arrested friday after crossing a police line outside the sudan's embassy in washington. it was part of a protest in government in ckartun. the man who nair nates the kony 2012 video was detained by police this week in zaig. police tell nbc news jason russell was hospitalized for an evaluation after running through the streets in his underwear and acting irrags rally. the video of the wanted joseph kony became an international sensation this month. his family says he's suffering from extreme exhaustion and dehydration and does not have a substance abuse problem.

mitt romney and rick santorum have been campaigning in puerto rico. peater, i can think of about 20 good reasons why the kaernlts are taking this primary seriously. >> reporter: yeah, tom, you're right. a bounty of delegates here in puerto rico. the primary is tomorrow. 20 delegates at stake. that's more than new hampshire, vermont, or hawaii. mitt romney has a get out and vote event this morning. last night he got a really good taste of puerto rican politics. this was a carnival as it was a political event. he was on stage with the man who enzoorsed him, governor fortuno. his wife ann was there as well. music and dancing and unlike anything he's seen during the course of this campaign. ann romney told the people, you show us how to party. romney taking advantage of the fact that rick santorum got himself in some trouble for some comments that he said were

misquoted, that he has specifically said if puerto rico wants to become the 51st state, it would be necessary that english be the primary language. he said that was not what he said nor was it his intention. it did not have to be the first language but the preferred language. the "rosie" show is going off the air after five months. launching a new network is always a chance. the final rosie show will air march 30. that's the news. lester? >> another check of the weather. bill karins is here with that. >> lester, i was expecting a bunch of "kiss me, i'm irish" signs dwoechl signs. we don't have that so i'm going to have to go talk with this

lady. we have incredible heat, beautiful warmth in so many spots of the country. record highs. it has been amazing around chaurks indianapolis, all of the midwest to the northern plains. these temperatures are summer-like. it's going to feel like june tonight. once again you're 80 in chicago. i believe this will be the third or fourth day in a row. in minneapolis, the snow is gone. and the months key >> here's what the inner harbor looked like. plenty of sunshine mild again for around 70 for the high.

happy st. paddy's day. is that real? let's go inside now with amy. all right, bill. thank you so much. there's been a verdict in an explosive trial involving a former rutgers university student. he was found guilty of using a webcam to spy on his roommate who later committed suicide. here's nbc's rehema ellis. >> reporter: the 20-year-old, former rutgers university student, was found guilty of the most sear use of 15 charges. they included bias intimidation, a hate crime, invasion of privacy, for using a webcam to spy on his gay roommate tyler clementi and then texting othering to wachlt his attorneys argued he set up a webcam to keep an eye on his belongings and was caught off guard by what he found. >> the evidence shows that tyler was targeted because of his sexuality. >> reporter: clementi, an

18-year-old student was an honor student. his parents called it a painful trial. >> we wanted to be here for our son and because we believed the trial was for our son and society today. >> reporter: one juror called it a tough decision. >> you don't go in there thinking you want to ruin someone's life but at the same time you have to think of all the facts and everything and the testimony. >> reporter: ravi said nothing as he left the court. the verdict continues to draw attention to the issue of bullying and some legal experts say it sends a message. >> i don't think it's excusable as a prank. i think people need to take their actions seriously and understand the consequences. i think 18-year-olds under the law need to understand their behavior has consequences. >> reporter: ro i have who reject add plea gar began faces up to 18 years when he facing sentencing in may. it's eight minutes after the

hour. now here's lester. >> amy, thanks. now to the manslaughter try of a wealthy florida polo tycoon. they'll start presenting their case after the state tried to paint jod good minnesota as a rich reckless drunk who left a student to die. >> reporter: a mangled mess of metal, the aftermath of a february 2010 collision that ultimately led to the death of 23-year-old scott wilson. his emotional mother viewed the wreckage after the jury got its turn. john goodman, a polo tycoon in palm beach county is charged with dui manslaughter. on friday a toxicologist estimated his blood alcohol level that night was almost three times the legal limit. >> i also detected -- >> reporter: he testified that goodman also had traces of painkillers in his system.

prosecutors showed a 3-d recreation of the crash. they claim goodman was drunk when he drove his almost 3-ton bentley into a stop sign, ramming into scott into a canal. >> he drowned. what did the defendant do? he walked away. >> reporter: goodman's girlfriend who he also adopted as daughter to protect his wealth testified wednesday. >> did he tell you anything about the crash? >> reporter: the defense says he was not to fault claiming the bentley went out of control. good man's lawyers say he didn't immediately call 911 because his cell phone was dead. this woman testified that goodman arrived at her trailer and used his phone to call her girl friend. she then encouraged him to call authorities. >> yes. i just had a wreck, and i -- my phone was dead. i'm on -- where am i?

>> reporter: the defense says he only began to drink after the crash to control his pain. if convicted he faces 30 years in prison. still to come on "today," we'll find out why kate middleton has the troops seeing green. we'll head live to london right after this messages. sweet, nutty crunchy nut... can't wait 'til morning. wait.

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ever in this behind-the-scenes photo shoot for april's "vogue." working the cameras. >> like anybody else, it doesn't come easy for me. you know, it takes a lot of hard work. >> opening up about keeping fit, younger men, and her outlook on life. the 42-year-old sexy singer, star, and mother of twins is everywhere these days. judging contestants on ""american idol."" >> the best thing i'veen ever seen on "american idol." >> reporter: fronting a new clothing line, and endorsing everything from beauty products to cars. the j.lo machine firing on all cylinders following the break-up with husband mark anthony last year. the two are no longer together romantically but are still partners on their new bilingual

tv talent series. she says it's still tough nash gating the divorce saying, quote, we're still friends and we're parents, but it's going to take time. last month lopez and anthony appeared on "ellen" promoting the series and showing they can still have fun. >> all i do is like that, you know what i mean? >> she can't help herself. >> i think if they really couldn't stand being in the same room, they wouldn't have done this show. >> reporter: when it comes to love, lopez tells "vogue" she's a mushy romantic but wouldn't reveal much about her new romance with 24-year-old casper smart other than to say he's adorable and a good egg. when it comes to age, lopez says, quote, i don't feel older, and i don't feel like i look it either. so i'm just acting the same way i have always acted. >> i think right now she's just letting go. she's enjoying herself. why not have a little rebound romance. >> reporter: and along with gracing the cover of "vogue,"

lopez also announced the release of her new single and video due out next month. >> she's a busy woman. that's right. thank you. we receive a lot of the duchess of cambridge over the past year and we'll soon hear more of her. her first public speech. first this is "today" on nbc.

it is a big weekend for the duchess of cambridge. for the first time on her own, she's hosting a military engagement in england. duncan goal stayny is there. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. the weather couldn't dampen st. patrick's day celebrations. that's because here the dutch em of cambridge is meeting the irish guard. before her first solo military engagement. in the past few weeks she's done so many things by herself for

the first time, we've had trouble keeping up with her. this might be news to kate, but she is following in the footsteps of royal tradition. members of the royal family have been presenting shamrocks to the irish guard on st. patrick's day for more than a hundred years, but kate, a well known dog lover, there was one for the regiment's mascot. it's certainly something to tell her husband when he gets back from the falkland islands. prince william has been gone for six weeks. >> they made sure she was kept busy while he was in the falklands. >> reporter: wearing tangerine colored jeans she was out to support the hockey league. she was a listle rusty. she said my radar's off and kept on missing. they still gave her team best with team number 1. >> get behind our team and what

we're doing. >> reporter: back in her usual hills and dress come bin nation, kate accompanied charles and camilla to an art project. kate's able to teach her father-in-law something and once again proving the crowds adore her. >> i thought she was very nice, skplemt, and will make an excellent queen. >> reporter: she's certainly getting enough practice despite her husband's absence. from carrying out her first ever solo engagement to accompanying the queen at the start of her jubilee tour. kate has been taken to the heart of the royal family. >> these engagements where she's been paired up with senior members of the royal family, the queen, camilla, shows how slowly she's been ingratiated into the firm. after all, princess diana felt like she was thrown into things.

>> reporter: on monday she ool give her first public speech, another royal challenge before being reunited with william. kate is now inside having a private lunch. she has undoubtedly brightened up this st. patrick's day for soldiers and their family. thank you. >> still to come on "today," the latest viral video fad. it's called a common challenge, but beware. this game has some very serious consequences. and items from the most famous shipwreck of all time are about to hit the auction block, but first these messages. [ jane ] how did i get here?

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years in prison after admitting to dealing heroin in a police parking lot. redd plead guilty to conspiring to sell drugs through january to june of last year. a baltimore police investigation and f.b.i. investigation included wire-tapped phone conversations wen redd and suspects. >> what people have to know is this is a bpd-led investigation. the baltimore police department identified this problem, rectified this problem, and partnered with federal authorities to send a clear message. 20 years. convicted to 20 years. we will not tolerate inappropriate activity or any behavior that undermines the work of these officers. >> redd had been working for 17 years at the time of his arrest. >> a baltimore county man is charged with using facebook to solicit sex from a minor. there are concerns there could be more victims. >> investigators say 26-year-old

ron freeman has been using the screen name ron corliogn. he contacted a 14-year-old girl. she reported this to police officers, and he was arrested. any other victims are asked to come forth by calling baltimore county police. >> the search continues this morning for the suspect that brutally attacked and robbed an 84-year-old woman. an armed man approached the victim at 1:30 in the back yard of her northeast home. he then followed her inside where he attacked and robbed her. police say the suspect ran off on foot. anyone with information is asked to call baltimore city police

>> well, had light rain shower activity developed south of us. that's out of the picture now. most of the rain has been pushed well to the south. the only thing we're dealing with this morning, we have generally clear skies. we have fog in the area. business visibility down a quarter mile or less in some cases. visibility until 10:00 this morning covering most of maryland until the lower eastern -- including the lower eastern shore. it does include all of delaware as a matter of fact. a few clouds in the basic forecast today. once we burn off the fog, unseasonably mild again. 64 to 75 for the high. east to northeast winds. spring starts on friday. tomorrow, more clouds. cooler. only in the 60's. >> beautiful. thanks, john. thank you for joining us. "11 news saturday morning" continues in 25 minutes.

we'll see you then. morning, march 17, 2012. look at the baby. happy st. patrick's day. we're seeing a lot of green out on the plaza. it's a beautiful morning here in new york. we want to thank everyone who stopped by to say hello before heading to the st. patrick's day parade that takes place here in new york city. outside on the plaza, i'm amy robach along with lester holt. >> you're overcompensating. >> my daughter made me wear it. i told her i would. we're going to be talking about the cinnamon challenge going around. >> it's gone viral.

it's about swallowing cinnamon without any water to drink. it sounds simple but it's actually dangerous. we're going to enlighten you and tell you why it may not be as cute as it seems. >> are you trying to sell your house but not having success. coming up in today's "open house" we're going to show you ways. you won't want to miss this. and the titanic, it's been nearly a hundred years since the most famous shipwreck of them all. thousands of items from the luxury liner like china, jewelry and pieces of the ship will be sold to the highest bidder. it's an amazing piece of history. it will be coming up. >> i brought my 9-year-old. >> show the ring. >> st. patrick's day pride right there. before we do all that, let's get a check of the weather from bill karins. you have a ring, too. >> i gave it back to her. i was going to steal your daughter's ring but i gave it

back. >> not cool. >> it wasn't very nice. there's a bunch of birthdays out here, about 150 years combined. it's your 50th. over here we've got two other 50ths, so we want to wish you a happy birthday as well. let's get to your weekend forecast. beautiful weekend. the exception. not so nice on the west coast. heavy rain head dound in southern california of all places. the record highs are so widespread from the northern plains. it's going to continue even into sunday. we're going to deal with wed weather there right along the mid-atlantic. a lot of fog right along the east coast, especially in new england. that should slowly burn >> good morning. until 10:00 this morning, a dense fog advisory in most of our viewing area for most of the maryland portion of our viewing area. the forecast calls for plenty of

and hopefully madison will behave herself on her first st. pa tick's day. >> we hope so. >> bake to you, amy. if you haven't heard of the cinnamon challenge, your teenager probably has. it's the latest viral video fad and it can be seen on youtube. but as nbc's lilia luciano reports, doctors say there is nothing funny about this stunt. >> reporter: seems pretty straightforward. grab a spoonful of cinnamon and try to gulp it down without taking a drink of water. but what happens next -- is so outrageous teens can't seem to get enough. it's called the cinnamon challenge and in the world of viral videos, with great failure

comes great popularity. on youtube thousands have posted their attempts at the spicy challenge. but it's not just teens. during a radio interview illinois governor pat quinn gave it a try and remarkably conquered the challenge. >> i don't think it's that harmless. it's just cinnamon. >> reporter: but it is and potentially deadly, doctors say. >> a lot of times the lungs can be collapsed and that can set the stage for getting infections in the lung. >> reporter: 15-year-old seen in this video attempted the challenge twice. but on the third try, her laughter quickly turned into a life-threatening choke. >> i couldn't breathe at all. >> reporter: she was rushed to the hospital where she spent the next four days. >> she was in and out of consciousness and had a very difficult time breathing. >> reporter: she's under treatment. >> i hate cinnamon now. >> reporter: hoping others will

take their cinnamon with a dash of caution. for "today," lilia luciano, nbc news. here our media analyst and author of "you are the brand" and psychiatrist janet taylor. good morning to both of you. steve, apparently the cinnamon challenge has been around for years. what's driving this popularity? >> everyone thinks they have their own tv show. you can have your own ratings by being outrageous, having more cinnamon. but then you sit there and say, wait a minute, how far are you going to go? this little girl got hurt, this little girl is in the hospital. you say, wait a minute krks you get that on video. i'm sitting there myself with three little kids saying this is so out of control, this video drives it. more and more kids see themselves as superstars in the waiting online, cyber space. this is driving it. and i've got to tell you

something. it's scary stuff. i didn't know it until i saw this and the governor has done it and sanction it and. >> and doctors? and nba players are doing it. >> teens are going to be impulsive, we know their brains don't complete development until 25. what's disturbing is when you do see adults doing it. like anything, things you're using to hearing about you see and learn how to do it. it's about seeing something and parents need to talk about making right decision. >> i think you can talk about why kids might try it, but can you explain why n nba players a the governor will do it? >> there are thrill seekers. they'll say let me see if i can do it and others will say i'll try it. >> look it. one word. snooki. there are people who still believe they can become stars. >> do something outrageous. >> the more outrageous, the more attention you're going to get, whether it's on a legitimate show like the "today" show or

online. and there's not the fine line that we used to think was there. i don't think it's there anymore. you're one step away from becoming a legitimate tv star. >> always an taunt for parents and adults to talk about making right decision. just because you see something doesn't mean you have to do something. what are you going to do, kid, are you going to do it? and here's why. >> the challenge is for parents, how can they be there. we have small kids. how can you stop your kids from getting online, doing it themselves and putting more cinnamon on there which makes it more dangerous. there's no joke anymore. >> what can parents do other than hiding the spice rack. one school is banning certain types of booting where they're hiding cinnamon vials in there. >> sit down with the video and your kids and say what would you do about this? help them develop a logical framework so they can make their own decisions. >> it's tough stuff, but parents need to not only know about it and talk about it.

but i've got to tell you, the longer we wait for something bad to happen, we're partly responsible for this. >> steve and jan is, thank you. appreciate it. tactics and strategies to get your house sold, but first these messages. 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! oh. where were you? uh, i was just in the car. come here. okay. [ inhales deeply ] mint. i had a shamrock shake. i hate you. and i got one for you, too. i love you. [ male announcer ] mccafé shamrock shake from mcdonald's. ♪

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many homeowners are still struggling to sechlt "today's" barbara corcoran tested unique techniques on an apartment that's been on the market for over a year. take a look. >> i'm here with a real live smudger. what is this ritual? >> smudging is clearing of energy and spaces. i've lit the innocence, i take a bell, and i'm going to start to move around and that will start opening up the energy, and the innocence will help clear it out. >> when a buyer walks in, do they feel the energy? >> if it's an intuitive buyer, yeah. >> want to improve your luck selling your home? here's any. you tie three old chinese coins to a red ribbon and fasten it inside your front door on the handle. the coins bring more coins otherwise known as cash buyers. there's all kinds of helpers

out there that will help you unload a house. take this little guy, a chinese statue. simply blow in his mouth and let him capture your desierks and he will grab it and eat it and grab the guy that comes through the door. catholics believe that st. joseph always helps out on household matters. well, if you bury st. joseph head down only on the west side of the house, your house, poof, gets sold. or you can order this voodoo doll and it comes with its own blessing oil. $10. your house is sold. you never know what works. wish us luck. >> barbara corcoran joins us now. sorry to laugh. >> little extreme, i'm afraid. >> let me ask you. if you get to that point, maybe you have other issues with the house, you know, if you're having trouble selling the house and you go to those kinds of measures.

>> that's generally what it is. it's overpriced. this house is overpriced. nothing makes a difference unless the price is adjusted. >> what kind of extremes have you done. >> i've done a lot of smudging. laugh if you might. it's worked. >> let's face it. brokers make the sales happen most of the time. talk about some other things that agents can do to get your home noticed outside those sorts of things. >> certainly you can dress as an extreme character. >> the broker. >> the broker. they're fun-loving people. they like people. this is kim hurley of coldwall banker real estate. you have to love the guy. 80% of the traffic is brought in by the broker. it's extreme, but it's a way to catch attention. >> i've seen more and more billboards, not just for the

real estate company but specific properties. is it's affective. >> it is affective. the billboard will only set you back three to five months. one month on the billboard, everyone knows your house is for sale. >> this whole wrap advertising technique, wrap a car, wrap a bus, does it work? >> i've seen more of it. we live 30 miles from the house. why not wrap your car with old photos and details of your house and travel around. you're a traveling billboard. >> we've talked about staging of a house. you say don't have an empty house. >> it always sells for less. >> but you're going to tell me you can virtually furnish a house. >> it's so new. most people start their search online. so here's a picture of a real bedroom and now it is virtually staged. it costs very little money, a

lot cheaper than buying the furniture. if you look at the living room, it's amazing. i had to lice twice. there it is empty, there it is staged. a great way to sell a house because it looks so much better. >> because when you see furniture, you can see someone living. >> definitely. it shows the potential. >> a lot of people like myself, i can onto see what's there. >> i don't believe so. you dress too well. you put yourself together too well. >> okay. touche. you win. >> give me less tacky tips. >> one mistake that everybody out there makes is they wait until the buyer is hammering them against the wall, the seller, that is, to try to get benefits. if you can put the benefits up front, free lawn maintenance, no closing cost, seller financing, right on the front side, you'll attract twice as many people to your home and mosteople will give it away anyway because it's still definitely a buyer's market. >> but that means taking a reality check of the market.

>> definitely. it fits the market today. >> thanks. >> my pleasure. up next, treasures from the titanic. a look inside one of the grandest ships in the world 100 years later. but first this is "today" on nbc.

this spring marks 100 years since the titanic sank just a few days to its journey to america. next month on the anniversary of the tragedy, thousands of artifacts found in the wreckage are being auctioned off by the company that recovered them. ♪ a champagne bottle for a celebration that will never happen, letters from the sea deck, the "k," forever lost, a cracked tea cup in otherwise perfect condition. just a few of over 5,000 artifacts pulled up from the watery grave of the titanic. simple objects that will soon become the sole historical record of the tragedy.

>> scientists have told us that it may not be long before the wreck is going to be gone. terrible brutal conditions under the sea. so this is the legacy of the tie tang. >> a legacy that's about to be auctioned off to the highest bidder in an unprecedented sale, every piece of titanic brought up from the wrecked site will go up as one lot. >> this is appraised at $189 million. this historian showed me why this priceless collection is a time capsule of life onboard the world's most luxury ship. this lace-like diamond necklace, dazzling custom wedding ring, and sapphire and diamond dinner ring were all found inside a safe. >> they could wear these at night because they had electricity and it would sparkle so much more. >> reporter: their owners will never be known.

just like in the academy award winning movie there were real love stories. >> she got into the lifeboat and decided her husband wasn't coming with her and she decided to stay with him and got back out. she said we've been together so long i'm staying with you. in the end, they perished. >> reporter: more than 1,500 people died. their stories will soon go to a new owner. the court has ordered each bidder must prove they can maintain the collection and promise to make it available for public display. >> reporter: this replica of the grand staircase is where the wealthiest of passengers would make their big entrance and by today's standards, a first-class ticket would cost about $60,000. >> reporter: a few fragments from the real staircase survived. >> here we have a piece of the landing floor from the grand staircase.

they're tile. they're not marble as one might expect. it was linoleum. >> linoleum. >> it was new and modern, lighter weight, and that's what they wanted to use. >> reporter: who's bidding on this treasure trove, they won't say who's made offers but say they've gotten bids from companies, individuals, museums, cities, even countries. there was a 26 foot ton peace of the hull. >> it's a big piece and i can see why it's a big piece but only a small fraction of the ship itself. >> reporter: this is really a postage stamp when you take a look at where it fits in with the large e titanic. >> it is. it was really only one deck. it housed cap bin -- cabins 79 81. just as haunting are small personal effects. a chef's hat, a pair of shoes

still laced, and clarinet, its keys corroded. >> and the socks. they're in better shape than some of my socks are. that's incredible. >> reporter: looking at a razor, a hair brush, playing cards, causes a visceral reaction. >> kanld of a thing that's very mundane and all of a sudden it becomes iconic and historical and of great importance to humanity. >> reporter: an now these ordinary objects are all that's left to tell their extraordinary stories. and we're lucky enough to have some of those artifacts with us right here today. there's that same chef's hat. >> i'm looking. the condition is remarkable. >> this was first-class china, second class -- oh, this is first-class, this is third-class. these post cards are remarkable. a 17-year-old passenger was carrying them. he was going to his brother's wedding. they were in a luggage bag and

that's why they survived. he perished but they survived. >> there's some money over there. >> just to see what made it through the rough conditions. it's all how it was housed. it's phenomenal to have them with us and a rare treat to share them with you. >> we'll be back in a moment. first these messages. [ male announcer ] chicken broccoli alfredo. mushroom smothered beef burgers. hearty chicken and noodle casserole. so easy, you just need campbell's cream of mushroom soup to make them and a hungry family to love them.

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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. and that's going to do it for us on this saturday morning. our thanks to bill karins and tom llamas. coming up tomorrow on "today," a look at the world's frozen planet. >> and i'm going to speak to joan rivers and her daughter melissa, two very busy people. they've got great stories to talk about. >> all right. looking forward to it. have a great day, everyone. happy st. patrick's day. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com

>> investigators say a man, freeman, tried to meet under-aged girls.

410-853-3650 if you have information. >> a final good-bye to christopher lyles. family and friends gathered at morgan state university for a public memorial service for lyles. he died after undergoing an speerltal surgery in sweden. his windpipe was replaced with an artificial windpipe using stem cells. >> barbara mikulski mick is in her fifth term. she surpasses representative edith norse-rogers as the longest serving woman in congress. she was first elect today congress in 1976. calculations, congresswoman barbara mikulski. >> are politics necessary in order to advance your career? a business expert is here to explain. >> plus, eat green this st. patrick's day. we have healthy options that will rock your taste buds.

>> and this morning, despite some fog, we have plenty of sun burning through. temperatures started in the 40's, but now we're climbing into the 50's.

>> hello. happy st. paddy's day. i'm jennifer franciotti. lisa has the weekend off. >> and i've kerry cavanaugh. rs